Sharing Expenses
by She'sAShipper
Summary: COMPLETED! Two best friends working together is wonderful, but two best friends living together. That's impossible.
1. Prolouge

Sharing Expenses by LadyCommish  
  
This is my first Picket Fences fanfiction although I have written fanfiction for the X-files, Boston Public, The Commish, Lois and Clark, and Sound of Music. I do not own any of these characters and do not profit from the stories. Please Read and Review.  
  
Deputy Kenny Lacos entered the Sheriff's department a few minutes early for his shift. He loved the 7-3 shift, because, as this was Rome, only one of two men would be on midnights and the office was clean and quiet when he arrived.  
  
Kenny entered the office and looked around, not noticing that anyone else had come before him so there was no fresh coffee made and no bagels or doughnuts on the cabinet. The only coffee was the sludge left over from the midnight shift. Carefully, Kenny emptied out the pot, rinsed it through and began to brew another fresh pot. It was then that he heard a small sound coming from inside one of the interrogation rooms.  
  
"Good morning, Deputy," Sheriff Jimmy Brock greeted before Kenny had a chance to see what was going on inside the interrogation room, "you're early."  
  
"Yeah, so where is everybody? There couldn't have been much action last night, I had the scanner on, I didn't hear a thing," Kenny commented, pouring himself a cup of the freshly brewed coffee.  
  
"No? Well, it was just the usual night in Rome, although several speeding tickets were issued and Skeeter and Dalton did bring in one drunk and disorderly. Other than that, smooth sailing."  
  
"A D&D, huh? Is that whose in IR 1?" Kenny asked his boss and friend, "Usually we put them in holding to sleep it off."  
  
"We did put him in holding to sleep it off," Jimmy told his Deputy, "Why? Is there someone in there?"  
  
"I thought I heard something," Kenny told Jimmy, when out of the corner of his eye, a flash of red caught his attention and Kenny new exactly who was in the interrogation room. He also knew what Jimmy would do if he caught here there, so he hastened to attract Jimmy's attention elsewhere. "I must have imagined it, anyway, want a cup of coffee?"  
  
Jimmy shrugged off Kenny's weird behavior as morning after syndrome, a condition his young deputy often acquired on his nights off, and took the offered cup of Joe. Kenny meanwhile turned and made his way to the interrogation room to interrogate the lovely and slightly disoriented Deputy Stewart. 


	2. Chapter One

Deputy Maxine Stewart stretched her sore neck and back and anxiously looked around at her surroundings. For a few minutes, she didn't know where she was, and then when she realized she was in the interrogation room at the Sheriff's Department, she had a hard time remembering why. Finally the light bulb switched on and she remembered that she'd slept in the interrogation room the previous night and why. Now she had to figure out how to get out of here without anyone noticing.  
  
Kenny was secretly glad that Jimmy did not notice Maxine's movement inside the interrogation room; he wanted a chance to talk to her about why she was there before Jimmy got wind of it. The way things had been going between them lately, Kenny doubted she'd tell him the truth of why she was there, but still he she was his dearest friend and he wanted to find out why she found it necessary to sleep in the precinct.  
  
Maxine started when the door to the interrogation room opened to reveal Kenny. "Great," she thought, "how on earth was she going to explain this?"  
  
"Max, time to get up," Kenny smiled, "You weren't on last night were you?" Kenny asked knowing full well that she was not scheduled to work the previous night as he had helped Jimmy make the schedules for the week.  
  
"No, I didn't have to work last I...came in..." She knew she couldn't lie to him. He was her friend and her partner, partners did not have to get along, but they had to tell each other the truth, "I needed a place to crash, so I crashed here."  
  
"Why? Didn't you just rent that fantastic place on Jefferson Avenue?" Kenny inquired, recalling that not long ago, he and Max had had a discussion about the kind of apartment was within her means. He'd known that the Jefferson neighborhood was too high and mighty for a Deputy Sheriff's pay. But stubborn as she was Max insisted, and here she was.  
  
"I suppose now it's time for the "I told you so's" right Kenny?" Max asked, stretching her arms above her head to work the kinks out of her neck.  
  
Kenny's face softened. He longed to shove a few "I told you so's" in her face, but he couldn't bring himself to do that to her. "How bad is it, Max? Can you get a smaller place?" he asked  
  
"I'm sure I could, but there isn't a cheap place in Rome to be gotten, hence," she said as she spun around the room moving her arm in sweeping motion, "my new digs."  
  
"Max," Kenny said gently, "you know you can't live in here. Real estate is hard to come by in the middle income areas; you know that, but..."  
  
"Kenny, I know I can't stay here, all right, so you don't have to go and get authoritative with me," Maxine snapped.  
  
"I'm not trying to get authoritative with you Max, I'm trying...hell...I don't even know why I'm trying to talk to you. You are impossible! And here I was going to offer you to stay with me until something else opens up. I must be crazy." Kenny pointed his finger at his head, as if to indicate he was out of his mind.  
  
"Yeah, well," Maxine began to retort, "You were going to offer that to me?" she asked, kind of shocked that Kenny would entertain the thought.  
  
He sighed, "Of course, I was. I'm not going to let you sleep in the office every night and I'm not going to let you move into some dump in Green bay...this will only be for a few months probably, we can swing it. And to be honest, I've had a hard time making the rent since I moved into the two bedroom. It'll work out for both of us," Kenny smiled as he watched Max contemplate his offer.  
  
"All right," Maxine agreed, "When can I move in?"  
  
Kenny gave a deep chuckled, reached into his pocket and tossed her his keys, "Go get your stuff packed. I've got you back."  
  
With that, Max smiled, tucked Kenny's key into her pocket, and headed to get her belonging out of storage.  
  
When Kenny arrived home that afternoon, he found the Maxine had indeed brought her belongings and settled into his apartment. There were a pile of CDs on the coffee table alongside his half eaten doughnut; there were daisy razors and Secret deodorant next to his aftershave and Trojan condoms. Well, he knew one thing. Max was his best friend, and true he did have a certain feeling for her, but he was Kenny Lacos, pathological womanizer, he was not going to fall in love with her, even if he had to admit he loved her. He'd do his thing and let her do her thing. He'd date, she could date, not trouble, no pressure. Speaking of date, he wondered what Janey Pierce was doing that night.  
  
Maxine had to work the 3-11 shift that week. That was always the busiest shift, lots of domestic dispute and missing kids were reported in that time. None of them turned out to be anything much, just kids off to friend's houses without calling or husbands angry with wives and neighbors overreacted. She had to admit one thing though, she was never bored.  
  
It really was great of Kenny to let her move in with him. He'd warned her that the place she'd rented was out of her means, and she'd expected a mocking I told you so, which to some extent she received, but she did not expect the invitation; however it was delivered, to move into his place with him.  
  
The phone rang on her desk and drew her out of her reverie, "Sheriff's Department, Deputy Stewart," she answered, and was only semi-shocked at what she heard on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Max, where did you put my blue shirt?" Kenny asked without preamble.  
  
"Which blue shirt, Kenny? You have six blue shirts," Max told him as if he didn't know.  
  
"Those are uniform shirts, Max. I mean my good blue shirt," Kenny clarified.  
  
"Oh, was that the shirt that was in a heap on the bathroom floor?" Max asked, tentatively remembering hucking that shirt in the hamper.  
  
"Yeah, that one," Kenny replied.  
  
"Oh, I put it in the hamper," Maxine replied, taking a bit of her sandwich.  
  
"You put it in the hamper?" Kenny asked, as if putting articles of clothing that were dirty in the hamper was a completely alien concept.  
  
"Yeah, it was on the bathroom floor, in a pile, it was dirty," Maxine clarified.  
  
"Great, Max. Now I only have uniform shirts to wear tonight," Kenny complained like a teenager whose Mom cleaned his room.  
  
"No, you have your white shirt and the maroon one," she informed him.  
  
"Those are dirty too," he complained.  
  
"No, those are clean. I did the laundry," Max replied.  
  
"Great. Thanks, Max," Kenny said, and hung up.  
  
"You're welcome," Maxine sighed to the dial tone.  
  
Max's shift went off without a hitch and she arrived back at Kenny's apartment around 11:30 that evening. She was surprised to find the lights off when she approached the window; Kenny was not one to go to sleep early. He was probably either still out of his date or inside, doing what Kenny did best.  
  
On the off chance that Kenny was asleep, Max didn't call out when she entered the apartment. A quick search revealed that her new roommate was not yet home, so she took her time showering, changing, and settling down on the sofa to watch the late show.  
  
Kenny arrived home a little bit later, alone, having lost interest in Janey about half way through the evening. That and he was bit apprehensive about how Max would react to him bringing women in and out of the apartment. Not that he wasn't going to, but he was at least going to talk to her about it first. He owed her that much. Didn't he?  
  
When Kenny got to the apartment, all of the lights in his window were extinguished, only the faint flicker of the TV gave him any indication that Max was home. Kenny entered the apartment, "Hey, Max. I'm home."  
  
No answer.  
  
"Max?" Kenny started out calling, but his voice softened to a whisper when the sight on the couch caught his eye. There was Maxine, his tough strong partner, dressed in an old bathroom and fuzzy slippers, one arm cast over her eyes, sleeping peacefully.  
  
"Ah, Max," he smiled, and retrieved a crumpled up afghan from the back of his old leather chair and gently covering her with it, "Sleep tight." With a gentle kiss on her forehead, Kenny headed to his own bed.  
  
End Chapter One 


	3. Chapter Two

A few days later Kenny came home between his shift and his date with another deputy, Douglas Reed. Douglas had been an under sheriff in Wills County, Illinois, but had moved to Hogan County when his wife got a position in Thayer Hospital's emergency department. Kenny had brought Doug home with him to introduce him to Max and see if he could interest her in a night of TV, pizza and beer. It seemed to Kenny that he saw Max less often now than he did when they lived in separate apartments. Lately, they'd been working off shifts, but tonight was her night off and Kenny wanted to spend time with her.  
  
Kenny put his key in the lock and turned, opening his apartment door. Immediately, something struck him as odd. The shower was running, but that was not out of the ordinary, what he did find strange was how clean his place was. Where there once was a pile of newspapers, there was now a cardboard box with the papers inside of it. Where there was once a pile of laundry, there was now nothing but empty space. Where there were once crumbs and all sorts of nonsense on the floor, there was now vacuum cleaner tracks.  
  
"Oh my God," Kenny gasped, when he saw the place. "She cleaned."  
  
"That's bad?" Reed asked.  
  
"Yeah, how am I supposed to find anything? I had an order to that chaos," Kenny grumbled as he set his keys on the table and locked up his gun.  
  
"Ask her, that's what I do when my wife cleans," Reed joked.  
  
The shower water shut off and Kenny heard Maxine going about her primping business in through the door way.  
  
"You know, with Cydney I can time exactly how much longer she's going to be in the bathroom by the sounds. A lot of clinking, that the make up, the droning sound, the blow dryer, the tiny little screech, eye brow wax..." Reed laughed.  
  
"Maxine isn't really like that. If she knows I'm going to need the bathroom, she tries to move it along," Kenny defended.  
  
"Yeah, because you're not married to her yet. When you're dating or living together, they can get ready in twenty minute. After you're married a few years...that's when the real fun begins," the seasoned husband laughed.  
  
The two men settled on the sofa and Kenny popped open a beer, "We're not even dating, Reed. She's just crashing here until she gets back on her feet."  
  
Reed laughed, "Keep telling yourself that, Lacos," He took a long sip of his beer. "Keep telling himself what?" Max asked towel drying her hair as she appeared in the living room wearing an oversized Rome Sheriff's Department sweatshirt and jeans.   
  
"That this place looked better when it was a pigsty," Reed covered, "Lacos here was pretty upset that you did a little redecorating."   
  
"I'm sorry, Kenny," Max apologized, "this place was really a mess. By the way, I'm Maxine Stewart." Max shot Kenny a glare and extended her hand to the new Deputy.   
  
"I'm Reed. Deputy Douglas Reed," he smiled and introduced himself, taking her offered hand.   
  
"Nice to meet you," Max smiled, "Kenny, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute?"   
  
Douglas, being an old married man, knew what was about to happen in the kitchen and he pitied Kenny. The poor slop had no idea what he was getting into.   
  
"What's up, Max?" Kenny asked, getting another beer from the fridge.   
  
"How could you do that?" Max asked in a harsh, hushed whisper. "How could you just invite someone back to the apartment without telling me?"   
  
"Max, cool out. It's just another cop. I've seen you look worse than this, lots of the guys have," Kenny tried to justify it.   
  
"Yeah, but those are people I know. You are my friend," Max explained, "this is someone I've never met before. Now he's going to think I'm a pig or a slob or something."   
  
"Max," Kenny sipped his beer, "don't worry about it. Reed is married and his wife is beautiful. He's not going to care what you look like."   
  
Kenny knew that was the wrong thing to say before the words even left his mouth. Max's face grew dark with anger, "You think that the only reason I care about my appearance is because I'm trying to land some guy? That I only care about the impression I make on someone I've just met because he happens to be male and reasonably handsome? I'm not as shallow as all that Kenny, some of the women you bring home, maybe, but not me."   
  
"This is not about the women I date, Max," Kenny defended, putting his beer down with a sharp thud, "I don't even know why we're having this conversation. I can invite anyone I want to over the apartment anytime I want to, it's my damned apartment, Maxine!" Kenny shouted, "I live here!"   
  
"Well, I have to live here, too, Kenny," she replied trying to keep her temper in check as Kenny was rapidly losing control of his, "and I know that's because I screwed up and you were kind enough to let me share this space with you. I do have to live here though and I'd like some consideration and respect while I'm doing that." Max told him flatly.   
  
She though by acknowledging his kindness on her behalf, she could appeal to his reasonable side. Though, Kenny was angry now, about more than the current situation and his reasonable side could not be reached with a few patronizing words.   
  
Kenny squared his shoulders, "Don't patronize me, Max," he said calling her on precisely what she was trying to do, "and don't accuse me of being inconsiderate or disrespectful of you. I've been nothing but considerate of you since this whole mess started, if anything you are the one who is being disrespectful, inconsiderate and down right rude."   
  
Now Max's temper was boiling, Kenny had always had a hot head and he'd always had the ability to make her blood boil. He was not succeeding nicely, "I'm being inconsiderate of you!" she shot back, "That's rich, Kenny. How, praytell, am I being inconsiderate, disrespectful, and this is my favorite, rude? Come on, tell me," she lured.   
  
"Well for starters, you never listen to any opinion that anyone has to offer you. You are always right, you are always the only one who knows anything and half the time, more than half you fall flat on your ass. Secondly, you move in here, because you cannot or will not listen to anyone but yourself and disrupt my system and my life. I can't find a dam*ed thing in this place anymore, you rearranged everything. I cut myself shaving twice because you used my razor. If I bring a woman home after a date, you get this self righteous holier than thou attitude about it, rolling your eyes at her, glaring at me...Now I can't even bring a guy friend home, without having to check it with you first. This apartment is not "our" place, Max, I'm just letting you stay here. It's my place!"   
  
Max stared blankly at her friend and roomate. She didn't think that she'd done anything wrong. She cleaned up because she was trying to help. She did use his razor, but she could swear she changed the blade in it afterwards, well, maybe not the first time, but she knew she did it the second time, since he yelled so much about the first time. If she was being self righteous about his dates and his tendency for casual sex, she didn't know it, but she didn't think it was too much to ask for advanced warning on visitors. That was common courtesy. Before she could respond to Kenny's endless tirade of accusations with a few of her own, Reed knocked on the wall between the living room and kitchen.  
  
"Kenny, Jimmy just paged. He told me he wants all of us to report to Main Road at the County line. A neighbor called in a claping incident, the carriage ran off the road," the newest deputy informed him, confused on what precisely it was to "clape" and how did that run a baby carriage off the road.   
  
"Thanks, Doug," Kenny said, nodding in acknowledgement, "you head out to the scene. Max and I will follow."   
  
Max, without a word, excused herself to get into uniform, the issues between her and Kenny temporarily forgotten in favor of their work. When Max was gone, Reed pulled Kenny aside, "You get busted for having me over?"   
  
"Yeah, you heard?" Kenny asked, all ready knowing it was impossible for Reed not to have heard the way he chewed Max out, "I swear, Man, I love working with her and hanging with her, but I can't stand living with her. I shouldn't have yelled but..." Kenny finished his sentence with a groan of frustration.   
  
"No, it's not that you can't live with her," Reed explained, "you can't live with a woman. You've been on your own for a long time, you've a bachelor, and from what I've heard, a confirmed one. You have your own way. Women have all of these hang ups that men don't get until you've slept with one everyday for five years and you know what gets you the couch or the doghouse, or even your mother's house. One of these hang ups for Max, apparently, is the impression she makes on people."   
  
"But she's beautiful woman," Kenny argued, "in any state."   
  
"Yeah, but she either does not think so, or that does not matter. Women are orderly creatures, they like routine, they like order, and they don't like messes. Women are private creatures, they don't like their private side shown off and to Max, her post shower sweats and wet hair is something intimate only to be seen by those who all ready know her and like her, not for some guy off the street." Reed explained this as if he was the authority on women and Kenny tried to put Jimmy's face and voice in the older more experience deputy. "And no matter what Max's hang ups are, you can't solve them by shouting at her; flies with honey, Lacos, flies with honey."   
  
Kenny sighed and thought about the wisdom in Reed's words. The man had been married for a lot of years and marriage in a way was like living with your friend, only you could only have sex with your wife. Reed made several points, "So what do you suggest I do?" Kenny asked, "It can't go on like this."   
  
"Talk to her, be reasonable and calm, set some ground rules," Reed told him, as he put on his jacket, "I'll see you there."   
  
Reed was not gone two minutes before Max came out of her room dressed in uniform, "Ready?"   
  
"Yeah," Kenny answered in his normal tone of voice. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the keys and tossed them to Max, "Let's go."   
  
Max knew after working with Kenny for years that his offering to let her drive was his way of offering a truce. Max caught the keys and climbed into the truck.  
  
As Max navigated the roads heading to the Hogan County Line, Kenny though again about Reed's advice and about how he should go about apologizing to Max without letting her indefinitely run the show around the apartment. Max beat him to it. "Look, Kenny," she began, "I'm really grateful that you let me stay with you while I'm sorting out this apartment fiasco, and you are right, I should have listened when you said that place was beyond my means, but...the fact is what's done is done now and we have to find a way to live together without killing each other. That said, I think after we get back tonight, we should work out some ground rules, that way we respect each other's privacy, but acknowledge that other person does actually live there. What do you say?"   
  
She left it up to him. She knew he was calmer now and would be able to answer rationally. Kenny gently smiled at her, "Good idea, Max. I'm sorry I was such an ass about everything and we do need to talk, set some boundaries, find a common ground we can both live with," he agreed, "Oh, there it is," Kenny indicated, seeing the nearly overturned Amish family carriage in the brush along the Hogan and Mason county line.   
  
Max nodded and pulled the car over and they both went down to meet Jimmy. "This is a lot of cops for a claping incident," Max commented to Kenny as they approached their boss.   
  
"It's not just a claping incident, Max. Carter's here," Kenny pointed to the short medical examiner who was loading two body bags into his van.   
  
"Max, Kenny," Jimmy said in way of greeting, "this is bad. A real mess. Never before has something like this happened in Hogan County."   
  
"Well, before now," Kenny began, "claping was never that big an issue. It happened; the people chose to work it out themselves."   
  
"Not this time," Jimmy informed him, "this time its homicide, two counts of child homicide." Jimmy beckoned and Max and Kenny followed him to where Carter's van was parked, "Our victims; two year old Jacob and six year old Sarah Schindler of Mason County. Those," Jimmy pointed to the grieving family, "are the parents, Rachel and John Schindler and their two older children, Ruth and Daniel Schindler. Kenny, I want you to talk to Mr. Schindler and Daniel, Max to Mrs. Schindler and Ruth, see if anyone saw anything at all before that carriage went off the road."   
  
The two deputies nodded and went to approach their witnesses. Max and Kenny walked toward the bereaved family and took in the unusual end to a common situation. Attacks on the "plain people", the Amish, were sadly common in Mason County, where a significant portion of Wisconsin's Amish lived. Hogan County had the other significant portion. The usual result of claping, rock throwing, at the carriages was property damage and the Amish people tended to accept monetary sums to repair the damage and did not pursue charges.   
  
"You know," Kenny said, "I read about a case like this happening in the 80s in Fulham County, North Carolina, an Amish baby was killed as a result of claping and the prosecutor down there got the boys to plead guilty to a lesser charge. They all got suspended sentences, but still, it has not happened since then."   
  
"It's said that someone, that children, have to die before people learn," Maxine sighed, "look at them, Kenny," she indicated the family with a nod of her head, "someone has to pay for that."   
  
Max and Kenny approached the grieving family and separated them as Jimmy had instructed. Max smiled gently, "I'm Deputy Stewart, Mrs. Schindler. I'm sorry for your loss." Those words seemed hollow leaving her mouth.   
  
"Thank you," Mrs. Schindler replied kindly.   
  
"I'd like to ask you and your daughter a few questions about what happened tonight. Hopefully, you saw someone or something and we will have some more to go on," Max explained, "the first thing I need to know was, as you are from Mason County, why were you on the road here in Hogan County?"   
  
"We were on our way home from my sister's house," Mrs. Schindler explained, "She just had a baby and I went to help out. My family came to get me and we were on our way home. Or we'd never have been on the roads this late."   
  
Max nodded and noted the response in her notebook, "Before the carriage went into the ditch, did you see anyone? Any kind of car? Anyone else on the road at all?"   
  
"There was a black truck," eight year old Ruth responded for her mother, "I saw it. It was going very fast and cut us off."   
  
"What kind of truck? Was it closed or opened in the back? Was it a pick up truck or did it look like my truck, here?" Maxine asked, pointing to her sheriff's jeep.   
  
"It was like that truck," Ruth answered, "only it had the hole in the roof."   
  
"Did you see the license plate? The numbers here," Max pointed to the Jeep's license plate.   
  
"Yes," Mrs. Schindler replied, shocked she did remember, "the last three only. They were 80L."   
  
"Excellent," Max nodded writing down the numbers, "Now did you see anyone who was in the truck. Did you notice what anyone was wearing? If they were male or female? What color hair they had?"   
  
Both women shook their heads, "All right. All I need now is an address from you so that Deputy Lacos and I can get in touch with you when we have a better idea of who is responsible for what happened here tonight," Maxine sighed, "Sometimes crimes like this go unpunished, but we'll do our best..."   
  
Mrs. Schindler cut her off, "No crime goes unpunished in the eyes of the Lord. Those who have done this thing, they will see judgment. It's in the Lord's hands if it is in this world as well as in the next," she explained. "Thank you for your help." With that shocking declaration, Mrs. Schindler moved to join her husband. Back at the apartment, Kenny and Max finally got to enjoy the pizza and beer night he had planned for them, albeit somewhat later than he had wished it to be. Max was quiet though and Kenny could tell that their argument was still upsetting her as was the Schindler case.   
  
"Max," he began, "we've gotten some great breaks in this case. That partial plate and the fact that we know it was black Jeep with a moon roof, those are great details to go on. Most claping cases, the victims don't even notice that."   
  
Max nodded. She felt badly for the Schindlers but Mrs. Schindler's attitude disturbed her as did the continued tension between her and Kenny, without that, she might be able to unburden herself more to him. "I know that, Kenny and I feel terrible about what happened. It makes our problem seem petty doesn't it?" Kenny smiled softly and shook his head, "If it's upsetting you Max, it's not petty to me. We said we were going to lay some ground rules, let's do that. Okay?" he asked, feeling terribly that he had her so upset, that his words and coldness had upset her.   
  
"Okay," Maxine agreed, "you start."   
  
"Okay," Kenny agreed and cleared his throat, "Rule one; the kitchen, living room, and bathroom are common areas. Those areas are to be kept clean so that both parties are comfortable in said common areas. Each bedroom is a private area and cannot be entered or disturbed without the permission of the occupant." He smiled, that sounded very official.   
  
"All right," Max agreed, knowing he gave her a lot on that one, "Rule two; we respect each other's privacy. That means, no butting in on where the other one is or was or whom they were with and no bringing guests over without warning and no overnight guests."   
  
"Whoa," Kenny objected, "No guests without warning and no overnight guests in common areas while engaged in private activities," he amended.   
  
"And no excessively loud private activities," Maxine added, then nodded, "Agreed." Max knew if that no overnight guests rule did take effect, she'd never see her roomate.   
  
"Rule three, we respect each others property, meaning, I won't throw out Cosmo if you don't use the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as a coaster," Kenny suggested. "All right," Max agreed, "rule four, we respect each other's dating choices and practices," she suggested, feeling badly for knocking Kenny's choice in dates.   
  
"Attached rider," Kenny amended, "we can discuss or advise on dating choices constructively, but not criticize." Kenny wanted this, because he could not help but want to protect her. He wanted to be able to offer his opinion if he felt she was being sucked in, he wanted to protect her from another Danny Shreve.   
  
"All right," Max agreed, "and no hard feelings if the advise if rejected?"   
  
"Deal," Kenny answered and extended his hand, "Does that about cover it?"   
  
"Yeah," Max agreed, "only one more thing. Rule five, once a month; we make it a priority to hang out like this, the two of us."   
  
Kenny sighed, and shook his head, "Nah, Max. I can't give you that one."  
  
"Oh," Max said, her face falling, but she shrugged and said, "All right."   
  
Kenny could not help but smile at her reaction, "We make it a priority to do this twice a month."   
  
Max's face brightened and she let out a genuine laugh, "Deal. Now how about this case..."   
  
End for now   
  
A/N: Part of this plot line is borrowed from the movie A Stoning in Fulham County. I do not own that movie.   
  
A/N 2: I'd like to see what reader would like to see happen in the subplots to this fic. Other situations between Max and Kenny, etc. Please include those suggestions in your reviews. Hope you enjoyed it so far. 


	4. Chapter Three

Sharing Expenses: Three  
  
Kenny lay in bed and stared at the digital clock on his nightstand. It read 12:36 a.m. 12:36 a.m. and Maxine still was not back from her date. She'd called him at the station to remind him that she had a seven o'clock date with some guy she'd met at the supermarket, Jeremy something. Now it was well after midnight and she was still not home, and Kenny was beginning to worry.  
  
Maxine let Jeremy walk her up to Kenny's apartment door, "I had a really nice time tonight. I've never been to a restaurant like that before," Max told the handsome man smiling.  
  
"Yeah, well, in New York they have a lot of hibachi restaurants and I thought you might like it," Jeremy smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.  
  
"I did," Max answered, "well, it's pretty late. I better go, my roommate is going to be wondering where I've been."  
  
"She worries about you, does she?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"Yet, um, he does," Maxine replied, and waited for Jeremy's reaction to the fact that her roommate was a guy.  
  
"He? You're living with somebody?" Jeremy asked, obviously feeling that he had been deceived.  
  
"No, I'm not living with somebody. Kenny's my partner on the force, I got into some money trouble and he's letting me crash here for a while until I'm back on my feet," Max hurriedly explained, she had enjoyed Jeremy's company and did not wish to upset that.  
  
"Oh, well that was nice of him," Jeremy replied, relieved that Maxine was not using him to cheat on someone.  
  
"Yeah, Kenny's a great friend," Maxine replied, "I really had a great time tonight."  
  
"Me too. Um, I was wondering, Max, would you like to do it again?"  
  
"Sure," Max smiled, "I'd love that. Call me tomorrow?"  
  
"Absolutely," Jeremy smiled and leaned over to kiss him lightly on the cheek, "I can't wait."  
  
Maxine watched Jeremy leave and smiled broadly, as she turned and fit her key into Kenny's lock.  
  
Kenny heard to key go into his lock and smiled to himself. It was Maxine, it had to be. Quickly he rolled over and pulled on his undershirt before heading to the kitchen. Max always went to the kitchen after a bad date and that was where he heard her now.  
  
"How was your date?" he asked turning on the kitchen light to find Maxine drinking a glass of orange juice still wearing the short black dress she'd worn out to dinner.  
  
"It was nice," Max replied, "Jeremy is a great guy. Want some juice?"  
  
"No thanks, I'm good. So it was nice, huh?" Kenny asked again.  
  
"Yeah, it was nice," Max replied, laughing slightly at the awkwardness that always existed between them when either one of them came back from a date.  
  
"So you going to see him again?" Kenny ventured, knowing that if the answer was "no" she'd wanted to talk to him about it and if she did not answer at all, that meant she was no interested in having another post mortem. Kenny never expected the answer to be "yes."  
  
"Yeah, I think so," Maxine smiled, "He's a really nice guy Kenny. And he's sweet. He's going to call tomorrow."  
  
That left Kenny speechless. He was excellent at fixing Maxine when she had a bad date. He was great at making her feel better, at talking until dawn about whatever her creepy date did to upset her, but Max having a good date, not to mention a date she wanted to repeat, he was in uncharted territory there.  
  
"Um, that's great, Max. So when do I get to meet this nice, sweet guy?" he asked, the last time Max though a guy was nice and sweet she brought home Danny Shreve.  
  
"Um, I'm not sure about that yet, Kenny. I'd like to get to know him a little bit better before I introduce him to you. You have a way of scaring off my perspective boyfriends," Max told him.  
  
"Oh, do I? Max, the last time I even met a perspective boyfriend...you know what, forget it," Kenny stopped there, knowing though she would pursue it.  
  
"What were you going to say?" Maxine pressed, knowing Kenny was going to bring up Danny once again.  
  
"Max," Kenny said throwing up his hands in surrender, "I don't want to fight."  
  
"I'm not fighting, I'm talking," she replied.  
  
"I don't want to fight," Kenny repeated a little testier than he really wanted to.  
  
"I'm trying to make extremely civilized conversation, you are biting my head off," Max countered, "I had a wonderful time tonight and I don't want to ruin it because you are being pigheaded and immature. Good night, Kenny," she said firmly, loudly placing her juice glass in the sink before she retreated to her bedroom.  
  
Kenny sat down at the kitchen table with a heavy sigh, "Good night, Max," he said very softly. He only wanted to be a friend to her, to protect her from the mistakes she very often made by jumping into things unawares and ill advised. Why couldn't she see that? Why did she always have to make him out to be the enemy?  
  
Maxine threw her purse on the bed and sat down with a heavy slump. Why couldn't Kenny just be happy for her? Why did he have to argue with her? He was her best friend. True, she had some lousy relationships, but times had changed now and it seemed even after only one date with Jeremy that this could turn out to be something really good. The only thing that could make this night better, she realized was if Kenny were happy for her. She suspected he was in his way, but he was wary and protective first, and sometimes, while she adored the fact that he cared, those qualities could be extremely annoying.  
  
Over the next two weeks, Kenny hardly saw Maxine at all. He was working three to eleven and she was working seven to three. When she was not working, she was out with Jeremy and after each date, she came home later.  
  
One particular night, Kenny came decided he was going to join Jimmy and Reed for beers after his shift. Maxine was never around anymore for him to shoot the breeze with and he needed someone to bounce off the latest on the Schindler case.  
  
"So, we have thirty-six registered owners of black loaded Jeep with the license tags ending in 80L," Kenny reported, "we can narrow it down to about twenty because some of the other owners live way out of the area and I doubt would have any interest in claping. These are city folk; they probably don't even know what claping is."  
  
"True, but don't completely rule it out. Folks sometimes like to take part in the local folklore when they come out to the country," Reed offered.  
  
"True," Jimmy agreed, "Stay on it, men. The Schindlers aren't pressing us, but...I want these guys. This has got to stop."  
  
"You're right," Kenny agreed, "it has to stop. When all it was was property damage it should have stopped, but now, two kids are dead." He shook his head.  
  
"So, on to other issues," Jimmy said, "how's living with Maxine going?"  
  
"Maxine, who? I never see her anymore. We're working different shifts and when she's off she's out with what's his name," Kenny said sipping his beer.  
  
"You feeling a bit jealous, are you?" Jimmy asked, teasing his long time friend.  
  
"I told him she was more than a roommate," Reed interjected.  
  
"She is more than a roommate, she's my best friend and..." Kenny stopped midsentence, his stomach turning all of a sudden as he thought of Maxine and her date.  
  
"I've got to go, guys," Kenny said in a hurry, putting some money on the bar to cover his bill.  
  
"Okay," Reed said, shocked at Kenny's hasty departure, "See ya tomorrow."  
  
Kenny didn't answer his new friends and he did not notice Jimmy's bewildered expression, he was all ready out the door and on his way home, home to Max, who he knew needed him. 


	5. Chapter Four

Sharing Expenses  
  
Maxine moaned against Jeremy's lips as he kissed her passionately. The absence of her roommate, Kenny, allowed Max to be more relaxed and allowed Jeremy to be more affectionate with her without fear of Kenny's intrusion.  
  
"You're beautiful, Maxine," he whispered in her ear as he trailed kisses along her jawline up to her earlobe, "Your skin is like fine china, smooth and soft, and your hair, your hair is the color of a desert sunset."  
  
"Oh, Jeremy," Max moaned, "I want..."  
  
"I know what you want, Maxine. I'll take care of you, Baby," Jeremy whispered slipping his hand down into her panties.  
  
Max felt his hands on her, inside her, and knew she should enjoy it, but her stomach knotted and she began to slowly squeeze her thighs closed and arch her back to get away from his touch.  
  
"You want to play, Maxie?" Jeremy asked, pressing his hand harder into her, "We can play."  
  
"Jeremy, I don't..." Max whispered, but the cut her off with his lips, taking another kiss.  
  
Kenny rushed to the apartment, his heart in his throat due to the inexplicable feeling in his gut that all was not well with Max. He had a sort of sixth sense with her and knew that something was wrong, that something, even the littlest thing was not right. His heart had been pounding since he left the bar and it did not slow down one iota when he saw Jeremy's car parked outside his building and that the lights in his windows were off. That sent even more signals off in his mind, they were in there with the lights off and he felt as if he wanted to get sick to his stomach, Kenny ran faster.  
  
"Jeremy, no!" Max said firmly, getting her in between herself and Jeremy and gave him a slight push.  
  
Kenny chose that precise moment to come through the door, just in time to hear Jeremy's question, "Hey, what's your problem, Baby?"  
  
Before Maxine could answer, Jeremy was pulled up and off her and smashed against the wall, "You son of a bitch! She does not want you touching he," Kenny shouted at Jeremy, while slamming his against the wall again, "Turn around, you worthless..."  
  
"Hey, she wasn't saying no until just now," Jeremy protested.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure," Kenny said rolling his eyes, "turn around and put your hands behind you're head." Max lay against the sofa in stunned silence until she heart Kenny instruct Jeremy to put his hands behind his head.  
  
"Kenny," Max protested, "let him go. He's telling the truth."  
  
Kenny turned around to face Max, his expression shocked and a little bit hurt, "You mean you..."  
  
"Kenny, please," Max asked, her heart breaking and mind whirling at the shattered look on his face, "Can I have a few minutes with Jeremy?"  
  
Silently, Kenny nodded and moved past Max to go to his room, his dark features tinted red with embarrassment. When he was out of earshot, Max began, "Jeremy, I'm sorry. I was just...I'm just not ready to be intimate with you."  
  
Jeremy ran his hand through his hair, "All right, Max, I got that, but why did you let me go that far?"  
  
"At first, it felt so good and I haven't had sex in a long time and I haven't been kissed even in a long time, and you are such a good kisser Jeremy, but...it just felt wrong," Max hastily explained, a heavy blush on her cheek, "I'm sorry."  
  
"It's all right, Maxine," Jeremy said gently, "I should be sorry. I was rushing you. But I don't get your roommate. What's his...I mean, he nearly arrested me for making out with my girlfriend."  
  
Max sighed, "Kenny is overprotective of me. We've been through a lot together, been best friends for years, partners even longer," she tried to explain.  
  
"And I'm glad of that. I know you're in good hands on the streets with him at your back, but next time, we go to my place. Okay?" Jeremy smiled, "You guys really need some rules around here."  
  
"There are rules, Jeremy," Max answered, "and I broke them. This is a common space, Kenny's and mine, I should, um, entertain you in my bedroom," Max explained and batted her eyelashes, "It's getting late and..."  
  
"Yeah, it is," Jeremy agreed, "as you have some things to discuss with Kenny."  
  
"Yeah, I do," Max agreed, leaning up to kiss Jeremy's lips, "Call me."  
  
Kenny overheard every word Max had said to Jeremy and all of his responses. This Jeremy he realized was not a bad guy, he was a little ambitious perhaps, but he was not a bad guy. In fact, he was the best guy she's ever dated as far as he could remember.  
  
Kenny's musings were interrupted by a gentle rapping at the door, "Come in!" he called. Max opened the door and sat down on the bed next to him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Max," Kenny sheepishly apologized, "I thought..."  
  
"Ssh," Max quietly silenced him, "I know what you thought, Kenny and I know how sensitive you are about...that kind of stuff," Max explained, "and I'm sorry."  
  
"You're sorry?" Kenny asked, "Max, I was the one who acted like a jerk out there..."  
  
"No," Max interrupted, "you acted like a friend out there, like a partner," she told him and then very softly added, "and I love you for that."  
  
Kenny's throat clogged up at her words. He thought for sure she would get angry at him and shout at him, but this level of understanding...Kenny turned to Max and saw the emotion in her eyes. He couldn't quite place it, but he knew he'd never seen it before. Slowly, she moved toward him and put her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.  
  
"You're the best friend I've ever had, Max," Kenny whispered, holding her close, feeling how slight she was, and thinking how easily someone could seriously harm her.  
  
"And you're my best friend, Kenny. And I never want that to change," Max said as she let Kenny hold her close and stroke her hair, "I don't know what I'd do without you."  
  
If possible, Kenny's embrace tightened, "You'll never be without me, Max. Not ever," Kenny promised. "God, Max, when I came home and saw him on top of you and you pushing him away, I was so scared, Max," Kenny admitted.  
  
"Kenny," Max said softly, pulling back a bit to look at him, "I know you want to protect me, I know you really hate everything to do with rape and with sexual misconduct and so do I. I'm a police officer, I've seen what these crimes do, and you know what, I know how to handle myself. I know how to defend myself." Max said this very slowly, so Kenny's mind could fully absorb what she was saying.  
  
"Do you, Max? I mean, I know you know how to defend yourself, but...I don't know what I mean," Kenny sighed and finally let Max go.  
  
"You mean, I know how, I know the technicality, but could I really do it if I had to," Max paraphrased through Kenny's fumbled speech.  
  
"Yeah, I mean Max, you're tiny. You're very petite. Men could easily...Jeremy could, I could and I want to keep you safe. You're in my home, in my care..." Kenny tried to explain.  
  
"Hold on," Max interrupted, "I live here, Kenny because it's convenient, we're sharing expenses, we're roommates. You are not responsible for me."  
  
"Yeah, Max. I am," Kenny countered, "I'm your partner and you're friend. I am responsible for you and you are responsible for me. You are accountable to me, and I am accountable to you. That's what it's all about, Max, What happens to one of us...happens to both of us and I know I don't ever want to feel the way I did after...not ever again. So you see, we're involved with each others lives, like it or not, roommates or not, that's what being friends is."  
  
"And I know that, Kenny. But you can't always beat yourself up because you suffer under a misguided belief that you can control every bad thing in the world. You can't stop it all, Kenny, but I thank for trying just the same," Max told him, with a tear stinging the back of her eyes at how much love and devotion she saw in her best friend's eyes, "Now, it's getting really late and we have to save the world tomorrow, so let's get to bed."  
  
With a small smile, Kenny rose and moved to give Max another strong hug, "Good night, Kenny," Max said with a kiss on his cheek, "How about a pizza and beer night tomorrow? Just the two of us?"  
  
"All right," Kenny agreed, "I'll get the food and the booze, you get the movie."  
  
Max smiled, and said "I can live with that," as she went down the hall to her room. 


	6. Chapter Five

Sharing Expenses Chapter Five  
  
As luck would have it, things at the Sheriff's Department the next day were hectic and when Kenny arrived back at the apartment, he was in a terrifically horrible mood. The only plus for the day so far had been that he'd seen next month's schedule and he and Max were back on the same rotation and as a result would be once again full time partners.  
  
Kenny came home, with pizza and beer and found Max sitting on the sofa reading a magazine, "You're late," she said without looking up from her reading, "Everything all right at the office."  
  
"Yeah," Kenny groaned dropping on the sofa not even bothering to take off his jacket; he just dropped the pizza and beer on the table and himself into the chair.  
  
"Are you all right?" Max asked, tossing her magazine aside and paying attention to her friend and colleague.  
  
"Yeah, I just had a bad day. It seemed like...this morning I got called to a case where a thirteen year old girl beat up her mom with a baseball bat and now her mom is dead, then, Mr. Wenerbeck from Oak Avenue went off his lithium and tried to jump off the top of his maple tree, and finally to top it all off, when I finally get a few moments to myself this guy walks in off the street claiming that he's dead, all before lunch. Then, we finally get a break in the Schindler case and...Max I couldn't...I can't...the plates belonged to Jimmy's car, Max," Kenny finally blurted out.  
  
For a moment, Max just stared at Kenny and tried to grasp the reality of what he had said. She knew that sometimes there were days that were very upsetting and disturbing and even more so to Kenny because he took everything in and kept it close to him. Max had learned early on in her career, that their were two kinds of cops, those who kept their feelings and those who got rid of them, and she learned that if you kept your feelings you were going to get down on themselves from time to time and she also learned that it was only the best cops that did this, and Kenny was the best cop she knew.  
  
"Oh, God..." she said after a minute, "Kenny what are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know. I can't imagine who would have...I know Kim would not have and Zach...that only leaves..."  
  
"Matt," they said simultaneously.  
  
"But what are we going to do?" Max asked Kenny.  
  
"We? I found out about this, you don't have to get involved in this Max," Kenny told her wanting to shield her from the unpleasant business.  
  
"Yeah, Kenny, there is. We're partners, not so much since it's been shorthanded, but this is our case and it's our responsibility," she told him, "but for now," she said leaning over him and pulling on the shoulders of his jacket to remove it, "you are going to relax and let me take care of you for a change. Now, take off you uniform, throw on some sweats and I'll heat up the pizza and get the mugs for the beer."  
  
Kenny got up and shed his jacket leaving it lying on the sofa. He kicked off his shoes on the way to the back room wear he shed his uniform. It was warm that night, so Kenny chose a pair of cutoffs shorts and a tank top and returned to the sofa where Max had warmed the pizza and poured beer into the frosted mugs he kept in the fridge. Slipping the video she had rented into the machine, Max handed Kenny his beer and two slices of pizza.  
  
"What movie did you rent?" Kenny asked taking a long sip of his beer.  
  
"What else," Max replied as the logo for Top Gun came across the screen.  
  
"A woman after my own heart," Kenny replied with a laugh, placing his beer on the table.  
  
Max snuggled a bit closer to Kenny and watched the film. She was partial to Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer while he was partial to the action and the planes and the action of the film. It was their film. A perfect fit.  
  
When the pizza and beer had been consumed and the film had ended, Max's head was resting on Kenny's strong shoulder. He shifted beneath her cheek and she lifted her head, "What?"  
  
"Nothing, I'm getting a little stiff sitting here," Kenny said lifting his muscular arms over his head to stretch.  
  
"Turn around," Max told him, "I'll give you a massage."  
  
Kenny doubted that he'd be able to handle Max's hands on his bare skin caressing his shoulders, but he did need some human contact and he would love to get it from Max so all he said was thanks and gave her his back.  
  
Max rubbed her hands together to warm her palms before putting her small hands and Kenny's broad shoulders. Her small fingers manipulated the muscles under his soft smooth skin and she flinched at the stiffness she felt in them. Kenny was a tough guy, a hard nosed cop, but he took everything to heart and it showed.  
  
Max's hands worked the hard muscles. She kneaded slowly reaching into the very depths of his skin, trying to realize the stress there, trying to make him comfortable and relaxed as possible.  
  
Kenny let out a moan of pleasure as he felt Max's hands working his shoulders, his neck down his spine. He shivered at her touch and found it difficult to control his body's reactions much longer. Kenny turned around and looked at Max's eyes. They were shining with emotion. She was so beautiful, so soft and feminine and he couldn't help but touch her skin.  
  
Kenny ran a hand down her cheek and then ran a long finger across her lips which parted under his touch.  
  
"Max," he breathed his blue gaze holding hers, "How do you always know the right thing to do?"  
  
"Kenny," she said, that one word holding so much information, so much emotion.  
  
"No, Max, I mean it. Last night, you knew everything in my head, and tonight, you know exactly what I needed. You knew I needed to be touched, to be...Max, what's going on with us?" Kenny asked his voice very soft, his eyes questioning.  
  
"Maybe, sometimes after people have...we've been living together a while and maybe we just..."  
  
"Just?" Kenny asked, moving his head closer, tilting it to one side as if ready to kiss her and force her to answer him the way he wanted her to. He wanted her to say it was just that she was in love with him, that her innate knowledge of his innermost needs was because they were connected on some spiritual level, deeper than that of partners and friends.  
  
Max pulled her head back a bit and sighed, "It's just we've been friends so long and partners and it's hard not to get to know the person you spend most of your time with." Max knew she was rambling but she couldn't admit to Kenny what she was feeling or what she thought she was feeling.  
  
Kenny moved back away from Max, "True," he acknowledged, "I'm glad I have you Max. You mean everything to me, you know that?"  
  
"Yes, Kenny," she replied, closing the distance between them again, her voice barely above a whisper, "I know that."  
  
Kenny bent his head lifted Max's face up to meet his. He smiled a slight smile as he brought his lips to her cheek bone, her forehead, her nose, and finally to where it hovered just above her lips.  
  
"Can I, Max?" Kenny asked in a hushed tone  
  
"Yes," Max sighed, "Yes." 


	7. Chapter Six

Kenny pulled away from Max when the telephone rang beside them. Each was a little relieved and a little disappointed when he answered it, "Lacos," he grumbled into the phone.  
  
"Kenny, it's Doug. You and Max need to come in right away," the deputy told him.  
  
"What? Why?" Kenny asked bewildered, "What happened?"  
  
"We arrested some kids out on the county line tonight, throwing rocks at an Amish wagon. One of the occupants was Matt Brock," Doug explained.  
  
"We're on the way," Kenny said in way of closing and severed the connection.  
  
"Come on, Max," he said pulling her up, "we have to get to the office."  
  
"Kenny, we have to talk..." Max began but he waived her off, "Later Max, the Schindler case just broke wide open and Matt Brock is at the heart of it. Doug just told me he and some of his friends have been arrested."  
  
Max sighed, talking would have to wait, "Let's go."  
  
Thirty minutes later, Kenny and Max arrived at the Sheriff's Department to find that four teenagers had been arrested and their parents were all waiting for them to be questioned and released. Max scanned the room until she found Jill, who sat stoically in Jimmy's office out of sight. Jimmy was angrily pacing the halls, waiting for them to question Matt.  
  
Slowly Max approached Jill while Kenny went to find Doug. Max sat on Jimmy's desk in front of her friend, "What happened Jill?" she asked, knowing but not really knowing.  
  
Matt called and said he's been arrested. Then Jimmy went over computer sheets and it seemed our car could have been the care that was on the road the night..." she paused, "the night those kids got killed. Oh, Max, how could he be involved in such a thing?"  
  
"We don't know he was there that night," Max said stupidly. Of course he was there, it was their car.  
  
Kenny knocked on the door before Jill could comment, "Max, Jimmy wants us to question the kids."  
  
Max felt Jill and joined Kenny. She could tell he was nervous about her not just uptight about the case. They had to talk about what almost happened and soon. This could not be let to go too far.  
  
Matthew Brock looked up at Kenny and Max. Both had disapproving looks on their faces.  
  
"Hey guys," he sheepishly greeted.  
  
"Hello, Matthew," Max sighed and sat down.  
  
Kenny didn't greet him at all, just started in, "What were you doing at the county line tonight, Matt?"  
  
"Nothing," he replied, "just hanging out with my friends."  
  
"Really?" asked Kenny, "and does hanging out with your friends include throwing rocks at Amish buggies."  
  
"I didn't...I mean we didn't' throw rocks we..."  
  
"Matthew, Deputy Reed and Deputy Monroe have a video surveillance tape of your parent's Jeep which you borrowed parked on Creek Road at the county line with rocks and sticks being thrown out of it," Max told him, "Now Kenny and I are your friends, if you talk to us, we'll help you. Now what were you doing on Creek Road tonight?"  
  
It took Matthew some time to answer as if he were waiting to see if he should tell the truth. Finally he said, "We want tog o for a ride, so I asked my folks if I could use the car. They said yeah, so I picked up Troy, Brad, and Robbie and we went for pizza."  
  
"Then what?" Kenny pressed.  
  
"Then we drove up to Creek Road and one of the guys saw the wagon coming. He opened the roof and threw a rock out of it. He only threw a few. Then the cops pulled us over after than."  
  
"Is this the first time you went claping, Matt?" Max asked, "Think carefully."  
  
"No," he replied, after more careful thought, "I've done it before. Lots of times. Lots of kids do it."  
  
"Were you out claping the night of April 16th?" Max asked.  
  
"I was out," Matt answered, "I don't remember what I did though."  
  
"I'll ask you again," said Max, "Where were you on April 16th and what were you doing?"  
  
"All right, Mom and Dad are going to kill me for this...the guys and I went over to this girl Marie's house, just to hang out. She's really pretty and she likes me so we were, uh, you know..." Matt paused, he was going to be dead meat.  
  
"No, what?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Making out," Matt replied with a heavy blush, "and Troy asked if he could use the car to get some beer. They borrowed the Jeep and came back about thirty minutes or so later. Please don't tell Mom and Dad I let Troy use the Jeep."  
  
Max rose from the table, "I'm afraid we have to Matt, otherwise...you could be in a lot of trouble."  
  
"I'm going to be in a lot of trouble now," he told them.  
  
"Matt, believe me, if this story is true, your parents..."  
  
"Max," Kenny interrupted "let's get Jimmy and Jill. You and I have to get out to the Schindler farm and get them to come in for a line up."  
  
Max nodded and called Jimmy in to talk to his son. She knew his boss would be relieved that all Matt did was lend out the car, that he was not responsible or claimed not to be responsible for the lives taken on Creek Road.  
  
Jimmy and Jill went to talk to and comfort their son, while Kenny and Max drove in silence to the Schindler farm. Both knew they had to talk about what happened on the couch, both knew it was wrong and both knew that with this thing between them, they would not be able to live together. Finally, Kenny broke the silence.  
  
"Max, I'm sorry, about before. I never should have tried..."  
  
She cut him off, "It's all right, Kenny," she assured him, "the important thing is, nothing happened. And beside, I didn't exactly say no. If I recall, I was saying yes back there."  
  
"Max, maybe what happened was sort of...I don't know....supposed to happen. That way we know, you know," Kenny tried but failed to explain.  
  
"We know what?" Max asked, confused.  
  
"Whether we're attracted to each other like that or not," Kenny said a bit bolder.  
  
"And are we?" Max asked, she'd been praying that this issue, never, ever came up.  
  
"What do you think?" Kenny asked, turning up the road to the Schindler farm.  
  
"I think no," Max said carefully, "definitely no."  
  
"Definitely no," Kenny repeated nodding his head to cover his breaking heart, "good. Then we have nothing to worry about. This looks like the place."  
  
Kenny and Max got out of the patrol car, but they found the Schindler farm dark. It was dark outside, but their wagon was there.  
  
"Could they be asleep?" Kenny asked, "Farmers go to bed pretty early."  
  
"Yeah," Max agreed, "maybe we should come back tomorrow. Call Jimmy and tell him to have the kids and their parents come back."  
  
"Yeah," Kenny agreed and walked her back to the car, "Let's get home. I'm getting kind of tired."  
  
The drive back to the apartment was made once again in silence, Max contemplating what had almost happened on the couch. Kenny had been so sweet to ask her first before kissing her and she had wanted him too, oh how she wanted him to, but there was Jeremy and their was work and their friendship and she knew Kenny. He was a philanderer, a lady's man; he did not really care about her, not like that. She couldn't let it get to her.  
  
Kenny stole sidelong glances at Max as he drove. She was so beautiful in the moonlight, the ghostly light glinting off her hair and skin. He'd wanted to kiss her so badly, but he knew he couldn't. She was Jeremy's, not his. She was too good for him and would always be. He was her friend, her roommate, but he could never be anything more. And he knew that, he couldn't let it get to him. From here on out, he'd have to play it cool, he'd got back to the old way. A woman every night, no real commitment, that's the way he liked himself, not this guy who drooled after a woman he'd never have. So, from now on, he'd be the Kenny Lacos of old. Ladies' man extraordinare.  
  
He looked over at Max once more, yeah, he decided, it was settled. This game was over. 


	8. Chapter Seven

Max and Kenny visited the Schindlers three times in the next week and each time they refused to talk about the incident or come down to the station for line up. Finally Max and Kenny were forced to let it go. The Schindlers wanted nothing to do with the states laws.  
  
"I don't understand, Kenny," Max complained one evening while she finished curling her hair, and Kenny finished shaving, "We had those punks. We had them cold. All we needed was one of the Schindlers to ID them.  
  
"That or a DA with bigger balls," Kenny commented, "Littleton won't go after the without the ID. But without it, we still have enough evidence to convict. We have the plate."  
  
"Won't hold up without Ruth Schindlers testimony," Max sighed, "Forget it. We're going to lose the case if we go to trial. Might as well not go."  
  
"Speaking of go, where are you going tonight. You're all dressed up?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Jeremy has a function in Madison tonight. I'm going with him," Max replied. "What about you? You never shave in the evening."  
  
"I have a date with Sonia," Kenny supplied turning on the tap to rinse his razor.  
  
"Now, you have a Sonia?" Max asked, "Wasn't it, a Dottie yesterday?"  
  
"No, Dottie was Tuesday. Yesterday was Lucy," Kenny corrected.  
  
"You disgust me," Max groaned as she tipped her head over to brush her hair.  
  
"What? I'm young, I'm free, there's nothing wrong with having some fun," Kenny tried to justify.  
  
"You're never going to find someone to settle down with if you..."  
  
"Whoa!" Kenny cut her off, "Who said I wanted to settle down?"  
  
"Well, most people..." Max began.  
  
"Max, I'm not most people," Kenny interrupted again, "Now let's drop this before we have another fight about my personal life."  
  
"Fine," Max clipped almost slamming her brush down on the sink, "Consider it dropped."  
  
Max wondered why Kenny's regression to his old dating habits bugged her. He was Kenny and he was behaving like Kenny should behave, different women, lots of sex, no commitment. That was what Kenny did, that was who Kenny was, so why all of a sudden was it bothering her.  
  
Jeremy noticed Max's silence and preoccupation that evening and finally on the drive back to Rome, he questioned her about it.  
  
"Maxine, Sweetheart, what's bothering you tonight?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"Is it that obvious?" she smiled sadly.  
  
"Yes," Jeremy laughed, "besides, I know you."  
  
"Yes, it seems you do," Max agreed, "it's just, I'm not sure if I can live with Kenny much longer. This week alone I met five different women."  
  
"It's Thursday," said Jeremy.  
  
"Monday was his day off," she explained.  
  
"Well," Jeremy said, "Max I wanted to talk to you about this for awhile now and it finally seems like the right time so..."  
  
"Spit if out, Jeremy," Max laughed, "I won't bite."  
  
"Well, it's great of Kenny letting you live at his place, sharing expenses, and all but...we've been together for awhile now and I wanted to ask, how would you feel about moving in with me?"  
  
Max was shocked but flattered at Jeremy's question, but wasn't sure how to answer..."Maxine? Say something," Jeremy prompted.  
  
"Wow, Jeremy," Maxine sighed, "That's a sweet offer, Jeremy but...I need time to think about it. I can't just decide like that," she explained.  
  
"But you'll consider it?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"I'll consider it," Max said again ending Jeremy's confession before it started.  
  
Kenny lay in bed amidst rumpled sheets with Sonia by his side. It was late and he heard max come home and head for the left over Chinese or the ice cream, neither one boded well. Carefully, so he wouldn't disturb Sonia, Kenny got up.  
  
"Hey, party girl," he greeted, "why the left over food?"  
  
"No real reason," Max sighed, "just not ready to sleep yet."  
  
"Oh, okay. How'd the date go?" Kenny asked, sitting backwards on a chair next to her.  
  
"Great. The food was good, Jeremy was his sweet self," Max replied spooning another mouthful of chicken and broccoli.  
  
"So why the leftovers?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Huh?" Max couldn't believe Kenny wanted to have this conversation.  
  
"Come on, Max," Kenny sighed, "You know you only eat in the middle of the night when something's bothering you. What is it?"  
  
"It's nothing," Max said, "Jeremy asked me something tonight..."  
  
"Oh, Max, tell me he didn't propose," Kenny groaned.  
  
"He didn't propose," Max confirmed, "but he did ask me to move in with him."  
  
"Move in with him," Kenny repeated, "Why? You live here."  
  
"I know, and I love it here, and I appreciate you taking me in. But I can't live here forever. I'm cramping your style, we both know that," Max said sadly.  
  
"No, you aren't," Kenny protested, "its great having my best friend here, my partner. It's great having pizza night..."  
  
"Kenny," a sultry female voice called, "I'm getting..." Sonia's voice dropped, "Who's this?"  
  
Kenny looked shocked as he remembered Sonia had been in his bedroom, "Oh, um, Sonia, this is my roommate, Max. Max, um, Sonia."  
  
"You never told me Max was a woman," Sonia spat angrily, before swearing at him in Spanish.  
  
"What did she call you?" Max asked cocking one eyebrow.  
  
"A pig," Kenny replied deadpan.  
  
"I can agree with that," Max confirmed, "There's been six women in here in five days."  
  
"That's my lifestyle, you knew that's, that's why we made the rules," Kenny reminded her.  
  
"Yeah, but I never thought...Kenyy, this is disgusting even for you," Max pointed out.  
  
"Well, this is me, Max. Plain and honest," Kenny declared, "If you don't like it."  
  
"What?" she prodded, "if I don't like it what?"  
  
"Leave! Your precious Jeremy wants you over there to ridicule and criticize him, so don't let me keep you from the promised land!" Kenny shouted, not sure where his anger came from. He never cared too much about what Max thought before.  
  
"Fine!" Max shouted in reply heading for the sanctuary of her room, "I'll be out of here tomorrow!"  
  
"Good and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out," Kenny shouted, retreating the bathroom.  
  
He didn't know where it came from, all right, he did. He was jealous of Jeremy he wanted what Jeremy had but he knew he'd be damned before he'd get it. Max was too good for him and he knew it. There was no way, the he and Max would ever work. So he had to stop kidding himself. He had to stop it. 


	9. Chapter Eight

This chapter is short, but I didn't want to miss a week.  Next one will be longer, and very very shippy.  Sort of.  Thanks.

The next morning Maxine called Jeremy and told him she'd move in with hi.  If he was thrilled he didn't sound it, but Max interpreted that as her lousy mood, not his lack of enthusiasm.  After hanging up, she got up the nerve to go into the kitchen and face Kenny.

Max played their fight over and over in her head.  She had been horrible to him.  After all his lifestyle didn't reflect on her, it didn't impact her at all.  Why should she even care about his repetitive sexual escapes?  She was only his roommate.

Kenny was busy making coffee, trying to ignore the piercing pain in his chest.  Max's words, her opinion of him, stung like a whip and cut like a knife.  What hurt even more was she was right.  What he'd been doing was disgusting and it was unfair to max and all the women he'd slept with the past week.  He knew he had to get serious about someone, stay with someone like Max stayed with Jeremy.  She was happy with Jeremy and he deserved to be happy as well.  Didn't he?

Max emerged from the bedroom dressed for work.  Kenny was half dressed while he waited for the coffee to perk.  Max studied his tired eyes, the dark circles, he hadn't slept either.

Max and Kenny turned to each other at the same time and said in unison, "I'm sorry."

Max giggled, "You're sorry.  Why are you sorry?  I'm the one who insulted you."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have if I wasn't giving you a reason," Kenny replied, "You were right. All those women in and out of here, it was disgusting and it was unfair to you and them."

Max nodded, "Um, I talked to Jeremy this morning, he wants to get some stuff moved around before I move over there…"

"You're still moving out?" Kenny asked.  He thought they were okay, "I thought we were okay."

"We are," Max replied, "but Jeremy and I are getting to a point in our relationship…"

Kenny nodded, "I see, but you want to stay here until he's ready for you, right?" he asked trying to keep the pain out of his voice.

"Could I? It won't be much longer," she assured him.

"Stay as long as you need," he replied, "Want to get some breakfast at Johnny's before work?"

"Sure," Max said, "You drive."

Late that day, Max and Kenny sat in what seemed to be and endless staff meeting passing a piece of paper back and forth.  So far its contents were; milk, eggs, bread, London broil, ranch dressing, lettuce…

The paper passed back to Max and she added tampons.  When Kenny read the paper he scribbled in the margin, _if those are on this list, you are doing the shopping._ 

"Fine," she whispered and rolled her eyes, crossing the tampons off the list.

"Right, Kenny?" Jimmy asked directing the question directly at Kenny.  He had not heard the words preceding it.

"I'm sorry, Jimmy, I didn't hear you," he admitted.

"I know, that's what I just said.  I said, and Kenny and Max have no idea what I'm talking about, it'll be fun to shake them up."

Kenny and Max both blushed, "Right," she said softly.

"Okay, last issue is the annual Sheriff's Department Dinner Dance.  It's one month from this Friday night at seven o'clock. Tickets are available from Ginny.  I hope to see you all there.  That's it."

The meeting finally broke and Max stretched her arms over her head, "Listen Kenny, I really need those tampons so can I bribe you…you go to the grocery and buy what's on the list, including the tampons and I'll pop for dinner at the Suds Bucket."

Kenny loved having dinner at the Bucket.  It was a country western type place with great ribs and sawdust on the floor.  He'd do nearly anything to have dinner there, and dinner there with Max…he sighed, "Okay, you win.  You knew you could bribe me with the Bucket."

"Yeah," she winked at him, "I live with you, we're partners, I'm close.  Meet you at home in an hour?"

"Yeah," Kenny smiled and watched her walk away.  He sighed, "What am I going to do when she moves out?" he asked himself, but surprisingly was answered by Jimmy who'd been listening to their conversation.

"Don't let her move out," he said.

"How much did you hear?" Kenny asked, more embarrassed about their tampon conversation than his outward pondering.

"Everything, dinner, tampons, bribery…" Jimmy listed what he'd over heard.  "You have to tell her Kenny.  If you love her you have got to tell her."

"Who said I love here?  I never said I loved her," Kenny protested.

Jimmy smiled and chuckled, "Yeah you did."  With that he walked away.


	10. Chapter Nine

Kenny got home from the market a little later he anticipated because of the wealth of feminine products on the market. He got home about ninety minutes after the evening broke. Max was on his sofa changed for the evening and reading the paper.

"Long line?" she asked without looking up.

"No, but I…"

Max cut off with a gasp of surprise, "Kenny what did you buy?"

"Well, I bought milk, eggs, ice cream, while bread and rye bread, and about twenty different kinds of tampons," he announced dumping the carry all bag on the table.

Max's jaw dropped, "Why did you buy that much stuff?"

"Because it's ridiculous how many different kind of feminine products there are. I didn't know if you were light flow, heavy flow, medium flow, combination flow…if you preferred long and thin, short and wide, self-adjusting or contouring, if you wanted biodegradeable applicators, plastic applicators, no applicators, or um, pads," Kenny finished with a blush.

When Kenny finished up his rant he saw that Max was hysterical laughing, "Why is this funny? This is not funny at all."

Max didn't stop laughing but she reached up and hugged him, "That's so cute, Kenny," she smiled, "But for the record I use plastic applicator self contouring medium flow," Max informed him.

"Which on of these is that?" Kenny asked.

"None of them," she told him trying to keep her face straight at his frustrated expression.

"That's it, max, that is the last time I go shopping for you…" Kenny began, but she quieted him with another hug.

"Come on," she said, "I'll fix it in the morning. Let's go to the Bucket, relax, unwind," Max pulled on his hand, "Forget this."

Kenny complied with that and followed Max out to his truck. They drove in silent to the Suds Bucket each lost in their own thoughts. Max was contemplating how truly adorable Kenny was buying all of tampons just so she had the kind she preferred. It was an incredibly sweet gesture, something only Kenny would do. She could never imagine Jeremy doing that.

Kenny was musing on Max's beauty. Even in simple jeans and a black sweater she was ravishing. Jimmy was right; he had to tell her how he felt. If he didn't he'd lose her to Jeremy for sure. If he did tell her though, and she didn't feel the same way, he could lose the best friend he'd ever know.

"Kenny," Max's voice broke into his thoughts, "We're here."

Kenny held Maxine's hand as the entered the crowed roadhouse and held her chair for her while she sat.

"This was a great idea," Kenny complemented, "you know I love this place."

"Yep, a rib joint with sawdust on the floor is your idea of a good time," Max laughed.

They placed their orders and made small talk until their meals came. The band was country that evening and Max and Kenny danced to a few two steps and toush pushes in between.

"You know," Maxine said once, "I'm having a really nice time tonight."

Kenny reached across the table for her hand and caressed its back with his thumb.

_At a diner down on Broadway they make small talk  
When she brings his eggs and fills his coffee cup  
He jokes about his love life  
And tells her he's 'bout ready to give up  
That's when she says,"I've been there before  
But keep on lookin' 'cause maybe who you're lookin' for is..."  
  
Somebody in the next car  
Somebody on the morning train  
Somebody in the coffee shop  
That you walk right by everyday  
Somebody that you look at  
But never really see  
Somewhere out there is somebody_

When the music started, Kenny pulled harder on Max's hand. She rose without struggle and followed him to the dance floor and swayed in time with the music and his body. She listened to the song, the chorus, "Somewhere out there, is somebody." It was so true, and she had met him.

_Across town in a crowded elevator  
He can't forget the things that waitress said  
He usually reads the paper  
But today he reads a strangers face instead  
It's that blue-eyed girl from two floors up  
Maybe she's the one maybe he could fall in love with  
  
Somebody in the next car  
Somebody on the morning train  
Somebody in the coffee shop  
That you walk right by everyday  
Somebody that you look at  
But never really see  
Somewhere out there is somebody_

Kenny held his blue eyed girl close to him. He knew she was the one, the only one for him, if only she believed that. If only she looked at him and really saw him, he knew she'd realize it.

_Now they laugh about the moment that it happened  
A moment they'd both missed until that day  
When he saw his future in her eyes  
Instead of just another friendly face  
And he wonders why he searched so long  
When she was always there at that diner waiting on  
  
Somebody in the next car  
Somebody on the morning train  
Somebody in the coffee shop  
That you walk right by everyday  
Somebody that you look at  
But never really see  
Somewhere out there  
Oh somewhere out there is somebody_

As the song ended Kenny held tight to Max, tucking her head under his chin. He wrapped his arm, around her and placed a kiss on her head.

"Max," he whispered, "let's get out of here. I have to talk to you at home."

"Why, Kenny?' she asked, a bit concerned, "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing is wrong, but it is important that we talk," Kenny told her. "Come on, let's get the check and get out of here."

Kenny refused to let Max pay for their meal even though they agreed and he drove quickly back to the apartment not saying a word about his sudden need for an urgent heart to heart. Max asked endless questions the whole way home, but the only answer Kenny gave her was, "Wait until we get home."

They got in the door, and Kenny tossed his jacket on the chair a habit which usually annoyed Max to no end, but today she let it go. She stood in front of him, crossed her arms said pointedly, "What is this about Kenny? What is going on?"

"This is hard to explain," Kenny began, "and I know you are going to think this is totally stupid and maybe it is but…Maxine, back there in that roadhouse, I realized something, I mean I knew if for awhile, but I really realized something tonight…Max…"

Kenny couldn't find the words to finish what he started to say, there was only one thing to do, show her. Slowly, Kenny crossed over to Max and leaned down to kiss her. He caught her gasp in his mouth as he took her lips. It was a slow wondering kiss, a gentle touch that sought, but did not pursue, a delicate tasting of her lips that lacked the aggressiveness of masculine need. She quivered in his arms, her hands automatically moving to his shoulders to shove him away if he pressed beyond the guarded borders of intimacy she could accept from him without talking, without knowing what was in his heart. Kenny didn't try to deepen the kiss. He raised his mouth and touched his nose to hers, lolling his head side to side in a soft, brushing movement.

After a long moment, he drew back slightly and let his gaze roam over her face with a certain curiosity. Maxine couldn't look away from his eyes, watching his irises expand until they had almost become black. What was he thinking? What was on his mind that caused the sudden flash of desperation in those brilliant eyes, the shadow that crossed his face? His eyes lingered on the soft, trembling fullness of her lips, and then slowly lifted to meet her gaze. They stared at each other, so close that she could see her reflection in them and knew he could see himself in hers.

"You're eyes are like sapphires," he whispered, "Bright and soft, like precious stones. A man could get lost in them."

Maxine swallowed; her heart seemed to be rising to her throat. Her hands were still on his shoulders; beneath the warmth of his flesh she could feel the quivering in his muscles as he held her tight to him as if he were trying to pull her into him. She could feel the pressure of his manhood against her belly. It warmed her almost as much as his next words did.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he murmured, "And so private. What are you thinking, what's going on behind those sapphire eyes?"

Kenny started walking taking Maxine with him. She stared at him speechless as he backed her into their sofa, gently lowering her onto the soft cushions.

"Max?" Kenny asked so many questions in that gentle word.

She could not answer; instead, she shook her head blindly as fresh tears made her eyes glitter. He sucked in his breath and kissed her again. This time he was more aggressive, parting her lips and slowly penetrating her mouth with his tongue, giving her the time to decide if she would accept his caress. She was trembling in his arms, afraid to let herself be tempted by the gently touch, yet she was tempted, very much so. Her tongue moved hesitantly and touched his, withdrew, returned for another shy taste, and finally lingered. He tasted marvelous. He deepened the kiss, exploring the ridges of her teeth, the soft sweetness of her mouth. Maxine lay beneath him, aware of the growing force of his passion, yet she was still shocked when his mouth turned hard and demanding asking for more than she was ready to give.

"Maxine, what you do to me is almost criminal," he groaned in a shaky voice.

An odd tightening in her chest in her breasts made her close her eyes, "We have to stop. I should go," she murmured, not pushing him away, but no longer responding to his intentions.

"No, don't go," he pleaded, "Let me touch you…my God, I've go to touch you!"

Maxine caught her breath on a sob as she felt his fingertips trace lightly over her breast and squeezed her eyes shut even more tightly than before. For a moment, she was frightened at the unfamiliarity of a man's touch on her breast. Kenny's voice spoke to soothe her, "Maxine, honey, open you eyes. Look at me; look at how I'm shaking. Touching you makes me dizzy," he whispered fiercely. "Look at me love; know it's me that's touching you."

Maxine's eye fluttered open and she found that he'd moved closer, until his face was filling her vision, so she could not pretend he was anyone but who he was. It was Kenny's face, not Jeremy's, and his brown eyes were filled with undeniable emotion, love and hunger. His trembling fingers were still moving only lightly over her breasts, though the heat of his hand burned her even through her nightgown.

"That…that's enough," she said, her voice thin, wavering out of control, "This isn't right."

"It's perfect," he cajoled, "I need you, Maxine. It's been so long…can't you tell how much I need you? Please. Let me touch you. Really, touch you. Let me unbutton this top and see you."

Even as the words were tumbling from his lips, his fingers were busy slipping the tiny buttons free from the buttonholes. The buttons ran down to her waist and he worked until he'd undone every one of them while she lay helplessly transfixes at the force of his need. Slowly, he opened the shirt and pushed it off her creamy white shoulders dropping the cloth down her arms and bearing her to the waist.

"I've dreamed of this," he whispered hoarsely, "You take my breath away." Gently he cupped her breast in his palm, curving her fingers over its ripe curve.

Maxine began to tremble again, she didn't know what to do, how to handle this. She had no real experience with men, only one other besides Jeremy, and he had been a rough almost animalistic lover, not gentle and sweet like Kenny was turning out to be. He would hurt her when they had had sex, and she was expecting pain this time as well.

Now both of Kenny's hands were on her, holding her breasts together. His head bent, and she sucked in a convulsive breath, staring down at the smooth skin of his scalp with terrified fascination. His tongue darted out and bathed a tiny pink nipple, then blew his warmth breath across it watching with delight as it thrust out at him, "They're beautiful," he breathed and tasted the other one.

At last, she could move and her fingers played with his hair at the base of his neck. She thought dimly that she'd pull his head away, but instead she pressed into his warm skull and held him to her, relishing in the feel of his attentions.

He released her nipple from his mouth and lay back, his hands sliding along her body drawing her with him so that she lay half across him. He began kissing her with short, gentle kisses that stung her lips. "I need you," he panted, "I want you so much. Please let me make love to you."

Maxine moaned, a keening sound that reflected both the tumult he stirred in her and her fear of going any further, "I can't" she cried, tears stinging her eyes, "You don't know what you're asking of me."

"Yes, I do," he whispered, moving his mouth down to the line of her jaw, nipping at her with his teeth. "I'm asking you to let me love you. I want you so much that I'm aching all over. I can't sleep for dreaming about you. Let me be a man with you; let me bury myself in you and forget about the past years, all the pretending all the others that were not the right one, you are the right one, Max, please," he pleaded.

She'd spent too long nurturing this man, agonized over him too much, felt his pain, celebrated his triumphs just as he had for her, how could she deny him now, when she never had before. Ever.

She nodded her head, silently letting him know that she'd let him love her. He looked into her eyes and saw her fear. He gently brushed a hair back from her face and whispered, "It's all right. You know I won't hurt you. I would never hurt you. Let's get you out of this."

Slowly he slid her jeans down over her hips bearing her the rest of the way down her body and with her assistance shed his own clothing. Her eyes were still wide opened, drawing his gaze, letting him know that she was giving herself to him, that she was doing this for him. She was afraid of this intimacy, but she trusted him and believed he'd not hurt her. Even with that assurance, when he pushed her thighs open to settle between them, she stiffened and closed her legs.

"No, honey, don't. I'm going to make love to you. I'm going to make it beautiful," he whispered as she relaxed and he slowly and gently slipped his finger inside her tight, wet opening.

"You're ready," he whispered, "So tight and wet. You feel so good."

Maxine moaned as she felt him slip a second finger inside her and then a third. Finally, she was writhing and moaning beneath him, begging him to fill her.

Kenny was happy to oblige and levering himself on his elbows he settled between her legs. She could feel the pounding of his heart against her breast as he slowly and gently thrust into her, raising her passion to completion.

She cried out at the feel of his hot, silky flesh spreading apart her femininity. Tears came to her eyes as the relief of long suppressed desire overcame her. She let out a small sob and as soon as Kenny heard it, he froze.

"Maxine, did I hurt you. I'm so sorry baby."

"No, Kenny, it's wonderful. I've never felt anything so wonderful. Make love to me, Kenny."

As encouragement, she lifted her hips delicately and joined him a lover's rhythm of slow gentle thrusts.

When they lay spent, and drifting off to sleep, Kenny heard Maxine whisper tearfully, "I'm sorry, Jeremy. So damned sorry."


	11. Chapter Ten

The next morning Kenny awoke to find Max's side of his bed empty, the sheets cool.  She had been up for awhile.  Kenny groaned and tossed an arm over his eyes to block out the intrusive sun.  What had happened here?  He knew what had happened; he just didn't want to think about it to thoroughly.  Kenny never dreamed that he could have been with Maxine in that way, he never wanted to be with her in that way, not without telling her how he felt about her.  Now he hadn't told her with words, he had finally told her with actions.

Kenny sat up on the side of the bed and quickly got out, "Max!" Kenny called, "Max, you here!"

There was no answer so Kenny knocked on the door to her room, "Maxine?"  She still did not answer, so Kenny opened the door farther.  Maxine's bed was made, but there was a slight rumple in the quilt which led him to believe that she had been sitting on it.  A quick glance around the room revealed Maxine's uniform was gone, which meant she had left for work early.

He should have known.  He had really screwed things up for them.  Now Maxine thought she was just another one of his conquests, another notched in his belt, she still had no idea how he felt about her. 

Kenny sighed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.  It was on the bathroom mirror that a note in Max's handwriting caught his eye.

_Kenny,_

_Sorry I left so early.  I had planned to get coffee with Jill.  See you at the shop._

_Maxine_

"Okay," thought Kenny, "okay.  At least she didn't just disappear, she had a place to be, and she went there.  They could talk about the disaster he made out of their relationship later, after work.  Things would be pretty weird at work, but, after all this was Rome.

Meanwhile, in a little coffee shop ten minutes from the Sheriff's Department, Max and Jill Brock sat having coffee.

"So, things with you and Kenny, they're good?" Jill asked taking a bit of her scone.

"Why would you say that?" Max asked shocked at how Jill could know.

"Because I wanted to know how the roommates thing was working out," Jill told her, "why is there something that I should know about?  Did you two have another disagreement?"

Maxine shook her head, "Exactly the opposite.  Last night, Kenny and I went out to eat, we went to the Suds Bucket.  It was nice."

"Like a date nice, or a Maxine and Kenny pizza night nice?" Jill poked.

"I don't know, Jill.  I am so confused by all of this.  I mean…Kenny said he had something to tell me, that he wanted to talk about us you know, and then…when we got home, we spent the whole night..."

"Talking?" Jill suggested hopefully.

"Jill, you cannot tell Jimmy, I mean it," Maxine warned.

"Ah, it's that good, hmm?" Jill winked at Maxine, "All right."

"Kenny and I…we danced to this great song, about some guy who gets love advice from a waitress and she tells him out there, there is somebody for him and it could be anybody, right.  And then Kenny gets weird and practically pulls me out of there.  And when we get home, he starts talking but he never finished.  Instead he gives me the most incredible kiss I've even gotten in my entire life, which led to the most incredible…"Max dropped her voice to a whisper, "sex, I've had in my entire life."

"No," Jill's jaw dropped in shock.

"Yeah," Maxine nodded her head, "and now it's all weird between us, you know?"

"I know, that can happen.  Jimmy and I were," she makes air quotes with her fingers, "friends, when we first were together like that.  It can make things very awkward.  Did you talk about it?"

Max shook her head, "I couldn't talk about it.  It was too weird.  How do you talk about that with the guy you did it with?  I mean, Kenny and I talk about sex all the time, who it was with, where it was, how it was…but this is about sex with each other.  I can't do the one to ten thing with him, you know, cause I automatically have to rate him a seven."

"A seven?" Jill asked, brows knitted.

"Yeah, a seven," Maxine replied.

"Why a seven?" Jill laughed.

"Because the best guy I ever rated to Kenny was a six, and even though I'd rate Kenny an eight or even a nine, I can't rate him that high to him because he'd think that I'm only doing that because it's him.  Am I making any sense?"

Jill smiled, "Not really, but you aren't supposed to make sense sweetie.  You've found it Maxine."

"Pardon?" Max didn't understand what Jill was getting at.

"You and Kenny, Maxine.  Jimmy and I have always seen it, I'm glad you finally are," Jill smiled.

"Oh, Jill, I hope he doesn't think that.  Jeremy, I'm moving in with Jeremy.   Kenny and I it was a one time thing, a summation of our relationship.  That's what I needed to fully commit to Jeremy.  I had to get that out of the way with Kenny."

Jill sighed and felt her own heart break for Kenny and for Maxine.  Maxine was so used to being lonely she didn't know how to be with someone good.  And Kenny, from what Jimmy told her, he was ready to tell Maxine everything.  He must think their coupling last night did it for him, "Maxine, before I change the subject, listen to me.  Make sure you talk to Kenny about this.  Make sure you are on the same page so it doesn't ruin your friendship."

"Thanks, Jill," Max agreed, "but I don't think Kenny sees this as anything other than what it was."

Jill nodded and said softly to herself, "I only hope you're right."

Kenny went into work early that morning, hoping to avoid talking to Maxine in the squad room.  He wanted to talk to her about it in private, at lunch or back at the apartment, not there at work.  It was early and things were still slow.  In fact, Kenny was surprised to see Jimmy in the office.

"Hey, Kenny," Jimmy greeted, "how's things?"

"Not bad," Kenny replied, "listen, I'm not on for another hour.  I have to talk to someone, and not on a professional level, if you get my meaning."

Jimmy nodded, "I get your meaning.  Want to go to Weston's for coffee?"

Kenny nodded, "Yeah, great idea Jimmy thanks."

Kenny was quiet on the trip over to the coffee shop, speaking only when he saw Jill's car parked outside.

"Uh, Jimmy," Kenny pulled back on his friend's arm, "let's go somewhere else.  Anywhere else."

"Why?" Jimmy asked, "Max and Jill are inside, ah, it's because Max and Jill are inside."

Kenny nodded and continued walking up the street.  Jimmy followed him finally getting Kenny's strange behavior.  Kenny stopped at the Chuck Wagon, a greasy spoon, and found a table in the back.

Jimmy asked Chuck, the owner for two coffees, then joined Kenny at the table, "So, what happened?  I know it has something to do with you and Max, so spill."

Kenny sighed, "Off the sheriff's record," Kenny said. When Jimmy nodded he continued, "Well, I tried to take your advice last night, and tell Maxine how I feel about her."

"But," Jimmy supplied.

"But after we went out for ribs and danced together, when I felt it was the perfect time to…I couldn't get the right words out."

"Kenny, tell me you didn't say something really stupid, please," Jimmy asked.

"I didn't say anything," Kenny told him, "but I did something.  I…Jimmy, I…you know, Max and I, we made love last night."

"I all ready knew that," Jimmy chuckled, "you have that look on your face.  How did she react?"

"She didn't I woke up she wasn't there.  She left a note saying she went to coffee with Jill.  I'm not sure if she got it though."

"So you and she didn't talk about it, she just split," Jimmy repeated.

"Yeah, and now it's going to be weird between us at work, until we talk," Kenny said, "if only I got up earlier."

"Kenny at least it's all out.  You and Max will have some stuff to work out, but at least she knows," Jimmy reasoned.

"What if she thinks it was a one time thing?  You know, not about love, but about sex."  That's what Kenny feared.

"Then you clarify it for her," Jimmy advised, "but Kenny, don't let her think, even for a minute, this was only sex for you."

Kenny nodded and squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, "Are you okay?"

 Jimmy asked.

"I'm getting headache," Kenny replied evenly.

"Okay, you're stressing out way too much over this," Jimmy observed, "and stressed cops are careless. Go home, unwind, and wait for Maxine after work.  But Kenny, please resolve this thing.  Tonight."

Kenny nodded, "I will, Jimmy. Thanks for the advice."

Jimmy smiled and clapped the younger man on the back, "Anytime, Kenny."

Max arrived at work ten minutes late and was surprised Kenny wasn't all ready there.  She needed to talk to him, tell him about her conclusions. She knew last night was right, but she knew Kenny he couldn't commit, or wouldn't commit.  She knew he saw their coupling as a summation, a climax, of years of friendship and unresolved sexual tension.  But still, it needed to be discussed, and a tiny part of her, hoped that in that discussion it would be revealed that Kenny felt for her as she felt for him.

"Max," Jimmy called, "Ride with Mercer.  Kenny went home, he's not feeling well."

"What's wrong with him?" she asked concerned.

"Headache or something.  I thought it best her be at home," Jimmy replied.

Max nodded and went to find Mercer.  The sooner the day was over, the sooner she and Kenny could work things out.

At four o'clock exactly, Kenny who'd been rehearsing his speech to Max all day heard her call out softly, "Kenny, I'm home. You okay?"

Kenny came out of the kitchen and greeted her with a smile, "Yeah, fine.  Headache is almost gone."

"Good," she smiled, "I brought Chinese."

"Great," Kenny smiled, "we should talk about…"

"Yeah," she agreed, "we should.  While we eat?"

"Sure," Kenny agreed pouring drinks while she opened cartons, "You first," he said in deference to Max's obvious nerves. She was fidgeting with the wire on top of the carton.

"Well," she began "I had a lot of time to think about this today, and there really isn't much to discuss. What happened last night was the result of years of sexual tension and a weird restaurant called Suds Bucket.  We were caught up in the moment, built up and it happened. It was a one time thing, no reason to get excited," she explained placing the Chinese food on the table and serving Kenny and herself.

Kenny felt his heart break in that instant, but he was too prideful to take Jimmy's advice and tell Maxine their tryst was a consummations of his love for her.  If she believed it to be or wished it to be the result of too much beer, country music, and mutual sexual attraction then he'd let it be.

"Yeah, yeah," Kenny agreed, "No reason to get weird about it. I mean people have casual sex all the time, I know I do," Kenny shrugged.

"So, we're okay then, right.  Friends, partner, roommates?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kenny sighed, "we're okay.  Pass the kung pow chicken."

They shared their meal and recounted the events of their day.  After dinner Max left to go over to Jeremy's while Kenny slumped on the couch with a pint of Ben and Jerry's.  It wasn't supposed to turn out like this.  Not for them, but he sighed, guy like him, weren't meant for the Maxine's of the world.  Thy just were not.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Six days later, Kenny helped Maxine load the final box into the back of his truck.  Jeremy had apparently gotten some room cleaned out for her in his apartment until they had time to look for a place together.  It was official now, Kenny was losing Maxine forever.

"Is that the last of it?" Kenny asked, closing the back of the truck.

"Yes," Maxine sighed, "There's not that much room in the apartment, it's only a little bigger than our…than your place," Maxine told him, "When we get the new place I'll have some more stuff to get out of storage."

"Well, you need me to help with that, or if you want to leave anything here, it's no problem," Kenny supplied, "This is awkward."

"Why?" Maxine asked, "We knew it was coming.  We've put the other issues behind us, we can go on being friends."

"Because I kind of got used to you being here.  It was nice to have someone to come home to, or come home with," Kenny mused.

"It is, but hey, we'll still have Friday nights.  Once a month, Friday night, pizza and beer, with an old action movie," Maxine promised.

Kenny smiled, "I'll look forward to that.  And hey, you decided old Jeremy is annoying you and you want to come here and be with me, hang out with me, you're more than welcome."

"I know that," Maxine smiled and put her arms around Kenny's neck, pressing herself up against him in a strong hug, "Thank you, Kenny for everything."

Kenny hugged her back, enjoying the feeling of her in his arms this one time before she left him for Jeremy, "Don't mention, Max.  That's what friends are for.  Now, hop in and I'll give you a ride to your new abode."

Maxine giggled at Kenny's mock bow and jumped into the passenger side of the truck.  She looked back at the apartment building she'd lived in with Kenny, where she had shared so many things with him.  It was the place where they fought, talked, ate bad Chinese, recounted bad dates, and finally the place they consummated years of unresolved sexual tension between them.  She'd miss it, she'd miss him, but a new chapter in her life was beginning, and it was time they both face it.

Kenny left Maxine off at the apartment.  She went inside to get Jeremy so he could help Kenny unload his truck.  Kenny started unloading boxes while he waited for Jeremy and Max to come down.

"Ah, Kenny," Jeremy greeted extending his hand, "It was nice of you to help Maxine get packed up.  I had to wait for a fax to come through before I could leave this morning."

"It's not problem, Jeremy," Kenny said, "It's my pleasure to help out Max, whenever she needs it."

"Okay, then," Maxine smiled, "Let's get this stuff in; Kenny has to work at three."

Jeremy, Kenny, and Max worked on carrying her boxes into the apartment and Max and Jeremy began unloading them.  Kenny didn't like the feel of the apartment; it felt cold, not like a home, not like the apartment he had shared with Max.  Maybe, she'd make it a home for them, like she'd made his apartment a home for him.  He hoped so.

"Um, well, I better go," Kenny said to the couple around one o'clock, "I want to take a shower before I have to be in work. Take care of yourselves."

Kenny turned to leave, Maxine and Jeremy nearly oblivious to the fact that he was taking his leave, for they were kissing and hugging like teenagers.  It wasn't until Kenny closed the door that Maxine noticed he was even gone, "Jeremy, I'll be right back."

Max ran out the door after Kenny, "Kenny," she called, "Hey, wait up."

"I didn't want to disturb you two," Kenny mumbled, "I have to get to work."

"I know, but I wanted to say thanks.  You've my best friend, I want you to know that," Maxine confided, looking at her shoes.

"I know that," Kenny replied, leaning over to kiss the top of her head, "You take care.  I'll see you tomorrow at the office okay."

"Okay," Maxine replied. "Be careful out there."

The rest of the day passed quickly for Max and for Kenny.  She was busy with Jeremy, unpacking, settling in, and sharing pizza and beer on the living room floor, just as she had done with Kenny. Jeremy sat, his arm around Maxine watching Top Gun.  She had seen the movie a hundred times but she loved it.  Jeremy was sitting beside her, watching the film, watching her watching the film, finally he said, "How can you watch this crap?  It's like…so unrealistic.  No one can know what really goes on in those flight schools."

"It's just a movie, Jeremy," Maxine told him, "Kenny and I watch it all the time.  It's great."

"Well, um…" he didn't get to finish his sentence before the phone rang.  "Hello," Jeremy said into the phone, "Um, no I'm not busy just watching TV.  Okay, I can be there in ten minutes."

Maxine looked up at Jeremy, "What is it?"

"Work, the client rejected the contract," Jeremy groaned rising, "I have to go meet with the other on the account and go over the option we have.  We have to finish this by Friday."

Maxine rose with him, "Okay, should I wait up for you?" she asked.

Jeremy shook his head, "I don't know what time I'll get back.  You just go to bed.  I'll see you tomorrow," he said with a quick kiss on the cheek.  "Good night."

"Night," Maxine said quietly, settling back on the sofa to watch the last of the movie alone.

 Kenny was busy with work, teaching another new deputy the ropes, all the while thinking about what his about Maxine.  He missed working with her, and he missed the idea of seeing her when he got home.  On the way back to the apartment, he picked up a case of beer, a pizza, and Top Gun from the video rental store, he'd let Max take his copy with her, to watch.  If he thought hard enough maybe he could pretend that Maxine was with him watching the film, instead of across town doing Lord knows what with Jeremy.

He missed her, God, how he missed her.  He should have told her how much he loved her and wanted her, but he was too proud, too afraid to admit his feelings.  If that one night they'd spent didn't tell her what was in his heart, there was no way that his words would change her mind or her heart. If he could only put his pride aside, then he could be happy.

Kenny took a shower and headed for bed.  He laid down on the bed he and Maxine had shared.   It still smelled like her perfume at times, maybe it was fact; maybe it was just his imagination, his wishful thinking, but he loved that soft vanilla scent. He breathed it in, a long breath, one then the next.  He couldn't fall asleep right away, so he reached out and turned on the radio.  It was set to the country station, the one Max liked.  Some song was playing about someone exes living in Texas.  He rolled over taking the pillow Max had slept on with him.  He breathed in the scent on that pillow, listened to the songs and finally fell asleep.

When he awoke again, he reached out for Maxine.  He often did that and found the bed empty.  He sighed and rolled over in the dark room, listening still to the radio. The words of the song grabbed his heart, for the woman in it was feeling the same as he was now.

_I can feel the darkness reaching in  
As I touch the place you may as well have never been  
Love can hurt much more than one can bear  
When a heart beats for someone who's not there  
  
How many times must I tell myself that you're gone  
When will the rest of me wake up and see what went wrong... So wrong  
And turn on the light and pick up the phone and just call  
And lay pride aside  
If I had any sense left at all_

Kenny told himself again and again that Maxine was gone now, that she was happy with Jeremy.  That is what he wanted, her happiness, even if he was miserable.  That is what true love is about, making the one you loved happy, no matter what it did to your heart.  Kenny wanted to tell Maxine how much he loved her, it would be so easy to pick up the phone, turn on the light and pick up the phone, but his stupid pride wouldn't let him.

Maxine finally fell asleep on the sofa as she listened to her favorite radio station after she had cleaned up the pizza and rewound the tape.  When she woke the room was dark and still silent, Jeremy had not yet returned.  She was alone in the house, it was quiet, yet she could hear Kenny's voice.  "Welcome anytime," he'd told her and she knew that he meant it.  This was not what it was supposed to be like.  She loved Jeremy, she did, but lately, after that night with Kenny, she wanted him.  She knew what he was like, the king of the bedroom, the ruler of the one night stand.  She couldn't let it go any further, even if being in his arms, in his bed, felt like home.

_Voices call that only I can hear  
Who would have thought love was something I would fear  
Almost home, almost there, almost taste  
On my mind, in my heart, on my face  
  
How many times must I tell myself that you're gone  
When will the rest of me wake up and see what went wrong... So wrong  
And turn on the light and pick up the phone and just call  
And lay pride aside  
If I had any sense left at all  
  
_

It would be so easy now to pick up the phone and call Kenny, to tell him she was alone and scared, but she couldn't admit the mistake she'd made. She sighed, the lyrics of this new song were even telling her to call him, so finally taking a deep breath, she laid her pride aside and dialed the phone.

Buzz, bizz, buzz, the busy signal taunted her.  Maxine sighed and put the phone back in the cradle.  "Stupid radio," murmured to herself, switching it off, before rising from the couch to go back to sleep in the bed she'd now share with Jeremy.

Kenny switched off the radio on the bedside table and switched on the light, maybe the song made sense after all.  It couldn't hurt to just dial the phone, could it?  Buzz, bizz, buzz, the busy signal was his only answer.  "Stupid song," Kenny grumbled as he switched the light back off, leaving the phone next to it's cradle.  It was smarter anyway not to talk to her to leave her be.  He had his pride, he should keep his pride.  It was thereore, the only thing he had left.

_  
Oh just lay pride aside  
If I had any sense left at all_


	13. Chapter Twelve

"I can't believe Jimmy's going to postpone the dance," Linda Jackson, one of the other female deputy's on the force complained to Max and Jill, "I was really looking forward to it."

"It's not indefinate, Linda," Jill reminded her, "It's only another two weeks. He didn't know the room would be double booked."

"Yeah," Max sighed, "It's better for me anyway. Jeremy's been working late a lot lately and with us moving into that new apartment..."

"Oh, yeah," Linda sighed, "When is that happening?"

"Well, we gave the landlord notice on the place we're in now, and Jeremy's lawyer is taking a look at the lease, so hopefully he'll have it read over by Friday, because if not. we won't have place to live."

"And I somehow don't think Kenny would be too big on letting you and Jeremy crash at his place," Linda observed.

Jill nodded in agreement, "Why didn't you use Wambaugh for the lease, he's annoying but at least he's quick."

Maxine nodded and took a bit of her doughnut, "I know, I suggested Wambaugh, but Jeremy wanted this friend of his. It wasn't worth arguing over when I barely see him."

"I thought you'd see him more now that you moved in together," Linda commented.

"So did I," said Maxine, "but he's had to work late a lot lately. He slept at the office the last two nights."

Jill and Linda exchanged glances. They felt badly for Maxine. She was so blinded by Jeremy's charm that she could not see what was obvious to every other Rome citizen.

"And when he's home, I have to work the night shift," Max continued.

Jill remained silent, Linda was neutral on the Kenny issue and a better mouthpiece, "I'd get to the bottom of this if I were you."

"Get to the bottom of what?" Maxine asked, "He's working hard and late," she clarified, "I was actually going to ask, Jill, if you could talk to Jimmy about me changing my nights to nights Jeremy works late for awhile. Just until things on his end settle down."

Jill agreed, "I'll ask him about it Max, but do me one favor?"

"Sure," Maxine replied.

"Be careful, okay. This pattern of Jeremy's it seems familiar to me...like when Jimmy was with me and Lydia," Jill supplied.

Maxine nodded, her eyes growing cold, "Oh, I see. You think he's cheating on me. You think that he asked me to move in with him, to share a great place with him, to throw me off the track?"

"No, we're not saying that," Jill soothed.

"Yes, we are saying that, Max," Linda interjected, "We're not saying that you are not lady number one, but we are saying, if he's not sleeping you with you, he's not sleeping alone."

Max took another sip of her drink, "Thanks for the tips guys, but that's not what's happening here. Really."

Maxine seemed sure of herself, so Jill and Linda let the conversation topic change back to the Sheriff's Department Dinner Dance. They'd done what they'd come to do, so their minds could be at ease. Max was blind, not stupid. The seed was planted, that's all they needed to do.

That night, Maxine sat on the sofa listening to the radio play a sad country song. The words reached her like so many songs of that genre did. These days everything seemed complicated. She didn't know what to do around Kenny anymore, sometimes she wished that  they could be together and finally end this charade.  Other times she only wanted to be his friend, she didn't want him in her life romantically at all.  She was only sure of one thing these days, she was lonely, she was lonely and she missed Kenny.

Every time she tried to call Kenny on one of these nights, he was either not home or on the phone or internet, chatting to some lovely chippy, no doubt. So she spent her nights off alone in the apartment, taping boxes, packing he things up, packing Jeremy's things, thinking about what Linda and Jill had said.

Kenny missed Maxine. He missed coming home to her or with her, he missed their dinner nights, he missed waiting for twenty minutes to go to the bathroom while she blew dried her hair. He missed every little thing about her.

Nights like this, he couldn't bear to go to the empty apartment, so he'd go down to the Chuck Wagon for a beer and listened to what he classified as Max's music. He was lonely now; he was getting good at it. He didn't bat an eye at going to restaurants alone anymore, he just went, ate, read, and headed for home, Max never leaving him mind.

It was his own fault too. If only he'd told her his feelings in unmistakable words that night at the Suds Bucket, she'd be his now. They'd be dancing to music, watching Top Gun, and making love under the stars. They'd be the heartland couple of America, but no, he was stupid, he was silent, and now he was alone.

It was getting to the point where he didn't want to be in the same place as Maxine anymore.  He was afraid that his feelings would come out on his face, just like the woman crooning the lyrics on the radio was.  Sometimes he too wanted to hide when he saw Max, and he knew he had to decide soon what to do.  He had to decide whether to lie or tell the truth and soon, because, this situation was too complicated.

_I'm so scared that the way that I feel is written all over my face  
When you walk into the room I wanna find a hiding place.  
We used to laugh, we used to hug, the way that old friends do.  
But now a smile and a touch of your hand just makes me come unglued.  
It's such a contradiction  
Do I lie or tell the truth?  
Is it fact or fiction?  
Oh, the way I feel for you._

_It's so complicated  
I'm so frustrated,  
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,  
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay.  
Should I say it?  
Should I tell you how I feel?  
Oh, I want you to know, but then again I don't,  
It's so complicated._

Maxine thoughts about a conversation she had the other day with Skeeter and Doug about the new apartment.  Skeeter said something that made her think, he's said, "Well, if it doesn't work out there, I know Kenny will take you back."  When she'd asked him what he'd meant, Skeeter replied, "Kenny misses you."

Max knew Kenny too well, and she knew he'd not have told Skeeter  that he missed her, so it had to be written on his face.  When she pressed the issue, Doug laughed at her, "You're the only thing he can talk about, open your eyes, girl."  With that answer the wheels in Maxine's head started to turn.

_Just when I think I'm under control, I think I finally got a grip,  
Another friend tells me that my name is always on your lips.  
They say I'm more than just a friend, they say I must be blind.  
Well, I admit that I've seen you watch me from the corner of your eye.  
Oh, it's so confusing,  
Yeah, I wish you'd just confess.  
But think of what I'd be losing,  
If your answer wasn't yes.  
  
It's so complicated  
I'm so frustrated,  
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,  
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay.  
Should I say it?  
Should I tell you how I feel?  
Oh, I want you to know, but then again I don't,  
It's so complicated._

This situation was so complicated.  She had to make a choice a decision somehow.  She knew that she and Kenny could have something great, if only they could get over their fear of losing something that was all ready great.

Kenny rose as the song ended and walked over the bar to pay for his drink.  It was then that his eye fell on a very familiar face, Jeremy, in the company of a very unfamiliar woman, someone who was not Max.

"Jeremy?" Kenny greeted.

The blood drained from his face when he saw Max's friend, Max's best friend, standing next to him, "Um…hey, Kenny."

"Can I have a world with you?" Kenny asked tugging none too lightly Jeremy's sleeve.  Jeremy had no choice but to follow him.

"That," Kenny pointed to Jeremy's date, "better be your sister at best at worse a long lost cousin, because if it is anyone else, you are going be so sorry that you ever thought of messing around on Maxine."

Jeremy ran a hand through his hair, "Look I was going to tell Max all about her."

"Who is she?  Because as God is my witness, man, if you're messing around on Max, if you hurt her, you're going to rue the day that your mother gave birth to you.  If you so much as make her shed a tear, I can, and will bury you so deep that the heat from the earth's core will incinerate your sorry, good for nothing, lying pompous ass!"

Jeremy sighed, "Then you should start digging because I'm going to have to tell Maxine in a few days, but that is Anna, she's my wife."

Thursday night was Max's night on at the office, and Jill had come through with asking Jimmy to let Max off a bit early so she could surprise Jeremy, who was going to be home for the first time in a while.

Her normal evening shift was three to eleven, so at about nine thirty Jimmy came in to cover the calls for her so she could head home and home some quality time with her boyfriend.  Jeremy was going to be so surprised. And so was she.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

The last thing the Maxine expected to see when she got home Thursday night was Jeremy in bed. No, correction, the last thing she expected to see was Jeremy in bed with another woman.  She had begged and pleaded with Jimmy to get the night off, she'd even enlisted Jill's aid, all so she could surprise Jeremy with a night of romance.  Well, the surprise was on her it seemed.

The only reaction Maxine could offer was speechlessness.  She stared at Jeremy and his blonde bed companion, mouth agape, eyes wide.  His companion was not so speechless.

"I knew it," she grated out, "I knew you weren't telling me the truth.  I'm so stupid to think you were actually going to be different this time.  This is the last straw Jeremy, I want a divorce!" His mate screeched.

Divorce?  In order to get divorced, one had to be married.  Jeremy was married.  All these months, he'd been married.  Jeremy's panicked voice drew her out of her reverie.

"Maxine.  Anna.  I can explain," he stated.

"Oh, I would love to hear this," Anna ranted, "I'm sure there is an excellent reason why this woman has a key to my husband's apartment and actually is stunned beyond belief that I'm here."

Maxine finally found her voice, "Husband?" she repeated as Anna climbed out of bed and started getting dressed.

"Yes," Anna replied before Jeremy could.  She extended her hand to Maxine, "I'm Anna and I'll be gone shortly."  Seeing Max was still fairly stunned she smiled in sympathy, "Don't worry honey.  You're not the first or the only."

Maxine remained silent again and studied Jeremy as he continued to plead with both women for a chance to explain his actions.

"Explain?' Anna repeated, after she finished dressing, "What's there to explain.  You swore you changed, but you didn't.  You had another mistress the entire time.  You're second chance is over."  She angrily declared before leaving Max and Jeremy alone as she slammed the door.

Jeremy cautiously got out of bed and pulled on his discarded boxer shorts before approaching Maxine, "Max, I was going to tell you.  Honestly, I was."

"You don't know anything about honesty," Maxine hissed, "You were married Jeremy, you are married.  All these months.  You lied to me for months," she shouted, refusing to let her tears fall.

"It wasn't like that, Maxine.  Anna and I separated, we were getting divorced…we just…"

Max held up a shaky hand, "Save you breathe, Jeremy.  It doesn't matter anymore."

With those words, Maxine too left Jeremy alone in the apartment.  She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been.  She knew it was too good to be true that someone like Jeremy could love her.  She wasn't good enough for someone like him.  She was just a lonely old maid.

No, Max corrected herself.  She was a lonely old maid with no place to live.  She had no real money, she couldn't stay with Jeremy, and she'd have to go somewhere.  She couldn't just drive around aimlessly.  She had to go somewhere, and there was only one place she thought to go. 

Kenny was not home when Maxine arrived at the apartment and she had given up her key when she moved in with Jeremy.  She didn't know how late he'd be out, so she decided she'd wait awhile, she had no where better to go.

Kenny stayed out late that Thursday night.  He had a lot of thinking to do.  He didn't do anything to Jeremy that night; he decided to cut him the slack of letting him tell Maxine the truth.  He'd given him a 24 hour grace period in which to do so.  He didn't like this situation at all.  Max was happy with Jeremy or so it seemed and he was loathe to do or say anything that would jeopardize that.  Max was rarely happy in the relationships she got into, and would usually stay in them anyway because she was lonely.  He was the opposite.  He never stayed in relationships past a couple of days, weeks at most, because even with the women, he was still lonely.

Kenny remembered advice his father gave him years ago after the one really special relationship he'd had in his life disintegrated.  His Dad had promised him that Liz was not the last woman he was going to love.  When Kenny asked him how he knew that, his father replied, "Because she doesn't complete you, you were with her, but you were still lonely."

Kenny sighed and paid his bar bill.  He didn't want to go home to the empty apartment still smelled like Max, but neither his liver nor his wallet could handle a larger stint at the Chuck Wagon.  He had no choice but to go home.

"Night, Kenny," Joe called from behind the bar, "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Kenny nodded, tossing some change into the tip jar as he left.

It had become a pattern on Kenny's nights off.  Every time he'd go home and he wouldn't be able to stand the silence, so he'd come out to the Wagon, drink, and head for home after hours of nursing beers.  Tonight was no different, except that what came after the self pity and the binging would change his routine forever.

Maxine had no idea how long she sat on the floor outside Kenny's apartment, minutes, hours, it didn't matter.  All that mattered was Maxine finally heard familiar footsteps, which meant Kenny was finally home.

Kenny was usually prepared for anything, but nothing could prepare him for the sight of Maxine, sitting alone on the cool hallway floor, knees drawn to her chest, head in her hands.  She lifted her face when she heard him.

When Kenny knelt in front of Max and saw her red eyes and tearstained cheeks, he felt like he'd been kicked in the chest.  Carefully he took Maxine's hands in his, "Max? What happened?" he asked gently.

Max let out a long sob and weakly put her arms around Kenny's neck, "I was so stupid, Kenny," she cried into his strong shoulder, "So stupid."

Kenny remained silent and lifted Max up into his arms.  Balancing her on one arm, he opened his apartment door, kicked it open and closed, and settled on the sofa with Max on his lap.

"Ssh," Kenny crooned, "It's all right.  It's all all right."

But he knew it wasn't.  Kenny knew why Max was so upset.  She must had discovered Jeremy's little secret or he must have disclosed it to her as promised.  Part of Kenny wanted to leave Max with Jill or Linda and go over to the apartment and do the son of a bitch great bodily harm, but more  of him cried out to hold Max and comfort her himself.  That part won out.

"Oh, Kenny," she sobbed, after a few minutes, "I should have know it was too good to be true.  No one like Jeremy would ever love me."

Kenny held her tighter, "You shouldn't' want someone like Jeremy to love you, Sweetheart.  If he'd hurt you…"

"He's married, Kenny," she cried, "and I walked in  and apparently I'm not the first one or the only one he…" She trailed off and began to cry again.

Kenny remained silent, knowing nothing he could say, no phrase of comfort or meaningless platitude would help Max now.  All she needed was his strong arms around her, her delicate nose buried in his neck, as she calmed herself down.

Finally, Max settled down and lifted her face to see Kenny's eyes, "Why do men do these things Kenny?  Why can't men commit to a woman and stay with her?"

Kenny sighed and squeezed her a little, "Not all men do that, Max."

"Yeah, they do," Max countered, pain turning to anger as she rose from Kenny's lap.  "After this, I'm convinced Kenny, no man is ever really faithful to his wife.  I mean, if a guy like Jeremy or Jimmy cheats, what can a girl expect from a guy like you?"

Kenny rose from the couch with that remark, "Whoa, Max," he protested, "you can't lump all guy in with…"

"Oh, come on, Kenny," she argued, "when I lived here, you had a different woman every night."

"Exactly!" Kenny exclaimed, "I made not pretenses.  I gave no promises, no false testimonials to any of those women, because I knew I'd never be faithful to any of them in my heart.  You can't group me in with guys like Jeremy who has the best woman in the world and still isn't satisfied.  I couldn't have what I wanted, so I had what I could get."

"Either way, Kenny," Max scoffed, "Men leave you.  Either after a night or a year, or five, or ten, or twenty, they still leave you.  A woman is like an animal to them, once they've sampled you, it's out to pasture with Bessie, they just toss you aside like a used rag," Max declared tears once again spilling out of her eyes.

Kenny knew it was now or never.  Max was upset at the male population in general, so the timing was not the best, but it was now or never.  He couldn't just blurt out, "I love you," though.  It had to be careful, easy.

Kenny closed the gap between them and grabbed Max's wrists in a firm grip, "Max," he said in a commanding voice, "Stop it.  Just stop it.  Listen to yourself.  Men do leave sometimes and Hell most of us are jerks and as commitment phobic as rats, but all men don't leave Max, no when it's the right girl."

Max began to cry harder, shoulders slumping, "I know that.  Jeremy did go back to Anna, and Jimmy stayed with Jill," she sobbed, "and you never stayed because…Kenny, I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry about…"

Kenny released her wrists and pulled her into his arms, pressing her head against his chest, "It's all right, Max.  You were upset, I know you didn't mean it or even believe it," he consoled.

Max took a deep breathe and pulled back to look in Kenny's eyes, "I have to believe it, Kenny, because if I am wrong, and all women don't' get left…then…" she trailed off with a breath, "then they only leave me.  What is wrong with me?" She cried burying her face again.

"Max," Kenny said huskily, his heart breaking at the tears and the pain in her eyes, 'there's nothing wrong with you.  You are smart and funny.  You are a great friend, a great cop.  And,' he lifted her chin so their eyes could meet, "even when you're face is puffy and your hair's all askew, you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."  She smiled a bit at that, "And I promise you, Max," he told her, "Jeremy is not the last man you are ever going to love."

Max sniffled and searched Kenny's face for signs of obligatory best friend patronization, but all she saw was sincerity and dare she think it, unconditional love.

"I know that," she said in a throaty whisper, reaching up to trace Kenny's lip with the pad of her thumb, "I just hope, maybe, that man will love me back."

Kenny studied Maxine's eyes and saw mirrored in them all the love he felt for her in his heart.  Gingerly, he cleared his throat, "Maxine, I've tried so many time to tell you, but I never…"

"Ssh," she hushed him, with a gentle finger over his lips, "I all ready know.  And I love you too."

Kenny smiled then and took Maxine's lips I the gentlest of kisses, yet it was filled with all the passion of his heart and promises of things to come.

"It's not going to be easy," Max said when they were finished kissing, "we've both been alone for a long time."

Kenny nodded, "But it'll work out, Max.  We'll just go slow, let us be ready and feel sure.  For now, you can move into the blue room if you want.  That is, if you still want to be here, sharing expenses."

Max smiled, "Not just sharing expenses, Kenny,' she corrected, "Sharing lives."

This time she initiated their kiss and started walking hi towards his bedroom door.  They both knew once they crossed that threshold , there was no turning back, they'd be toghet for the rest of thei lives, yet each too that step willingly.

Later, as Kenny lay holding a sleeping Max in his arms, knew his father had been right all those years ago.  Maxine was the one he felt complete with from the second he had met her.  There was a lot of work to do, for the both of them, because of all the years they spent alone, they'd learned to be lonely.  There were a lot of walls to break down so they could fully open their hearts to one another and finally learn to be loved.

The End

A/N:  I hope you've enjoyed _Sharing Expenses_.  Look for it's sequel, _Once You've Learned to be Lonely_ coming the week of July 19, 2004.


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